Samajwadi Party MP ST Hassan had recently courted controversy when he remarked that the ruling BJP might get some sell-out Muslims to pelt stones at their workers seeking donations for the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. According to Hassan, the BJP would attempt to polarise the society by getting some Muslims to throw stones at the Ram Temple donation seekers ahead of the state assembly elections.
While addressing the party workers during a program organized on Thursday at his residence, Hassan accused the BJP of playing politics over the Ram Mandir. He has alleged that BJP would take advantage in the state polls by flaring up communal tensions between Hindus and Muslims in Uttar Pradesh and provoke the Muslims in the state to attack the Hindus.
“The Ram Mandir issue is settled, but when the BJP workers would come out to collect donations, some sell-out Muslims will attack them with stones. You have seen in Madhya Pradesh what happens after the stone-pelting. Through this conspiracy, they will be sending a dog whistle to Hindus to unite and vote for the saffron party. It is a ploy by them for the upcoming state assembly elections,” Hassan said.
“These are the same people who throw stones as well as vitiate communal harmony. It is important to understand BJP’s politics. For how long this politics will continue? Hindu-Muslim politics doesn’t help in providing livelihood to people,” Hassan added.
Cornering the government on the newly introduced agriculture laws, Hassan said the Centre has broken the heart of the largest population of the country by enacting the Bills. He also spoke against the removal of Article 370 and the need for the government to legislate a law to ban triple talaq.
While Hassan accused some Muslims of colluding with the BJP for their strategy for the upcoming state assembly polls, the Moradabad MP’s insinuations have not sat well with the district’s Muslim community, who have expressed their resentment following the SP leader’s controversial remarks. They have questioned as to whom was Hassan intending to please with his contentious statements.
ST Hassan’s controversial remarks likening actresses to ‘tawaifs’
It is important to note that ST Hassan is the same Samajwadi leader who stirred controversy in 2019 with his remarks equating actresses with prostitutes. During the Zaira Wasim controversy when the Dangal actress had announced that he is quitting showbiz for Islam, ST Hassan had said there was no difference between a ‘tawaif’ and an ‘actress’.
Endorsing Wasim’s decision to quit films because it interfered in her faith, SP leader said, any work which includes displaying a woman’s sex appeal or skin show is against Islam. “She could always go for ‘pure’ acting,” he added. He further said that Meena Kumari and Jaya Bachchan did ‘pure’ acting. “Earlier Nawabs had ‘mujra’ at their places and a tawaif (courtesan) would come and perform and entertain people. Nothing wrong in it. If ‘tawaif’ may be an unparliamentary word so we could remove it and use the word ‘actress’ instead’. Tawaif is not a sex worker. She entertains people. Earlier they were called ‘tawaif’ now they are called ‘actresses’. Earlier it (entertainment) used to happen in front, now it happens on screen.
