BJP leader Ishrat Jahan at the Hanuman mandir on Dobson Road. BJP leader Ishrat Jahan at the Hanuman mandir on Dobson Road.

Ishrat Jahan, who had filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the triple talaq, on Wednesday lodged a complaint with the police, alleging that people in her locality have threatened to drive her out after she attended a Hindu religious event in Howrah.

The 33-year-old, who had joined the BJP last year, also sought police protection.

In her complaint to the police, Jahan said that on Tuesday evening she had attended a ‘Hanuman Chalisa Paath’ in front of Howrah’s AC market on Dobson Road, which was organised by BJP supporters. But on Wednesday when she was on her way to drop her son to school, residents in her area accosted her and asked why she had attended the Hindu religious event.

“I had gone to the event as it was a religious programme. I had gone there wearing a hijab. Some people saw me on television attending the programme. Today, they stopped me on the road and wanted to know why I had attended the programme. They even abused me for wearing hijab to the programme. They said they would drive me out of my house and asked me to leave the area. I ran to my house. Later, I went to Golabari Police Station to lodge a complaint and sought police protection,” she told The Indian Express.

She said that while policemen came to her house after receiving her complaint, no police protection has been given to her yet. “I am scared for my life. I am scared for my family as well. This a secular country, and it is our democratic right to take part in any religious festival,” Jahan added.

Meanwhile, Howrah police confirmed that they have received a complaint from Jahan. “We are looking into her complaint,” said a police officer. Sources said the police are yet to file an FIR.

Jahan was one of the five women to challenge the practice of instant triple talaq in the Supreme Court, which the top court struck down, calling it unconstitutional. Jahan’s husband had divorced her over the phone from Dubai in 2014 by uttering “talaq” three times.

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