Actress Ayesha Takia slams father-in-law Abu Azmi over sexist remarks

Mumbai: Bollywood actress Ayesha Takia distanced herself from sexist remarks made by her father-in-law, politician Abu Azmi, who invited widespread criticism by saying that women who have physical relations with men (even consensual) should be given the death penalty.

Ayesha, married to Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi’s son Farhan in 2009, tweeted on Friday that ‘if wot im reading about my father in laws statements r true then me and Farhan are deeply embarrassed n ashamed...’

She also tweeted: We surely do nottt share this mindset...its disrespectful to women.if these statements r true then its sad.

In an interview with Mid-Day, Abu Azmi said, “Rape is punishable by hanging in Islam. But here, nothing happens to women, only to men. Even the woman is guilty.”

He added, “In India, if you have sex with a person with consent, it’s fine. But if that same person complains, it’s a problem. Nowadays, we see a lot of such cases. Girls complain when someone touches them, and even when someone doesn’t touch them. It becomes a problem then, and the man’s honour is ruined in this. If rape happens with or without consent, it should be punished as prescribed in Islam.”

When asked about the solution to rape problem, Azmi said both, the woman and the man involved, should be hanged.

Farhan Azmi also opposed his father, stating, “I believe a rapist should be hanged a hundred times. I have five sisters and everyone in my family believes the same.”

if wot im reading about my father in laws statements r true then me and Farhan are deeply embarrassed n ashamed...

— Ayesha Takia Azmi? (@Ayeshatakia) April 11, 2014

We surely do nottt share this mindset...its disrespectful to women.if these statements r true then its sad.

— Ayesha Takia Azmi? (@Ayeshatakia) April 11, 2014