Lucknow Imam seeks ban on TV debates around Islam and Shariat after cleric slaps woman lawyer in live show

Lucknow Imam, Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahli has demanded a ban on TV debates on Islam and Shariat. This comes days after a Muslim cleric, Ejaz Arshad Qasmi on Tuesday slapped a female Supreme Court lawyer, Farah Faiz during a live TV debate on Zee Hindustan, according to India Today. Stating that these debates hurt the religious sentiments of the Muslim community, Mahli has appealed to the government, writing to the Press Council of India and has formed a three-member board for the same, according to Dainak Bhaskar. Maulana Qasmi slapped Faiz during a news debate on triple talaq that aired live on Zee Hindustan. The incident occurred at the channel’s office in Noida. He was later arrested from the Zee Media’s office after a complaint by the media house,  Zee Hindustan reported.

Faiz had said in the debate that triple talaq is not a form of divorce recognised in the Quran. This triggered a war of words between her and Maulana Qasmi which resulted in a physical scuffle. According to DNA, In the debate, she said, “The practice of talaq-e-bidat without proper conciliation violates the basic right of every Muslim woman to live with dignity adding that Muslim women have become victims of gender discrimination in the absence of proper codified rules governing marriage, divorce and maintenance." Faiz, runs an NGO Muslim Women’s Quest for Equality in Uttar Pradesh, is also national president (honorary) of the RSS-associated Rashtrawadi Muslim Mahila Sangh. She was one of the petitioners in the triple talaq case in the Supreme Court. Last year, Supreme Court delivered a landmark verdict that ruled the practice of divorce through triple talaq among Muslims as “void”, “illegal” and “unconstitutional”.