BHOPAL: In May 2017, Madhya Pradesh government officer Niyaz Khan invited the ire of saffron outfits when he sought the government’s permission to spend a month at Navi Mumbai’s Taloja jail, where mobster Abu Salem is lodged, to complete his book Love Demands Blood.
The 45-year-old state administrative service officer’s book on triple talaq titled Talaq Talaq Talaq that recently hit book stores has now triggered the wrath of his own community. Niyaz Khan is presently posted as additional district magistrate (ADM) in Guna district
Alleging that the book had hurt their sentiments and portrayed Islam in a bad light, members of the Muslim community burnt copies of the novel.
The protest was staged in Bhopal after Friday prayers under the banner of the All India UIama Board. The protesting members, including chairman of All India Ulama Board in MP Qazi Anas Ali Nadwi, alleged that the contents of the book were highly objectionable.
They also alleged that objectionable language had been used in various parts of the book. The protestors said that since the issue of ‘talaq’ was before the Supreme Court, the book should be banned with immediate effect.
The Muslim leaders further alleged that Niyaz Khan had previously also hurt Hindu sentiments with his fiction novel Untold Secrets of My Ashram.
“We demand that the book which is already in the market be banned with immediate effect. If it isn’t banned then we’ll have to move the court for it,” said Qazi Anas Ali Nadwi.
While demanding action against Niyaz Khan, the protestors also said the government should stop him from writing books.
However, when contacted, ADM Guna Niyaz Khan said, “the book is purely a fiction novel which depicts sufferings of victims of triple talaq. In no way have I intended to denigrate the religion or the Muslim community.” “I’ve personally seen the sufferings of women who have been given triple talaq by their husbands. This book depicts their agony and all characters are fictitious,” Niyaz Khan told the New Indian Express.
Talaq Talaq Talaq which is inspired by incidents at Muslim-dominated villages in UP’s Allahabad district was penned in three years. Importantly, Khan himself hails from Fatehpur district of UP.
The central character of the novel, a 65-year-old man marries seven times, the last one being a 16-year-old girl. The man dies on the first night of his last marriage.
Prior to this, Niyaz Khan has authored four fiction novels; Ocean of Bliss, Confessions at Black Grave, Untold Secrets of My Ashram and Destiny and Drugs.