"Anti-Women": Cleric Faces Case For Remark On Samajwadi MP Dimple Yadav

Cleric Maulana Sajid Rashidi has triggered a massive uproar with his offensive and misogynistic comments targeting Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Dimple Yadav. During a television channel debate last week, Rashidi, the president of the All India Imam Association (AIIA), criticised Dimple Yadav for visiting a mosque without covering her head.

Ms Yadav, the Lok Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh's Mainpuri, attended a meeting with her politician husband, Akhilesh Yadav, and other senior leaders of her party at a mosque in Delhi earlier this month.

During the debate, Rashidi cited what he called an "embarrassing" picture from the meeting of Dimple Yadav, who was wearing a saree. "Look at her (Dimple Yadav's) back. It is naked".

He also said the other woman in the meeting, Samajwadi MP Iqra Hasan, had covered her head.

A Samajwadi leader, Pravesh Yadav, filed a police complaint against Rashidi in Lucknow, saying his comments were not just an attack on Ms Yadav but an insult to all women.

"This has not only hurt the dignity of a woman, but every woman in society is affected by such a comment. Such indecent and anti-women remarks made from a public platform like a TV channel can disrupt social harmony," Pravesh Yadav said.

Based on Mr Yadav's complaint, the police on Sunday registered a case against Rashidi under Sections 79 (outraging modesty of women), 196 (promoting enmity between groups), 299 (outraging religious sentiments), and 352 (intentional insult) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Many BJP MPs on Monday held massive protests against Rashidi outside the Parliament.

"We won't tolerate insult to a female MP," they said.

#WATCH | Delhi | NDA MPs hold a protest outside the Parliament against All India Imam Association (AIIA) President Moulana Sajid Rashidi's derogatory remark against Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav during a television debate

(Note: Uploaded with better audio-visual quality) pic.twitter.com/cMpl1ehC57

— ANI (@ANI) July 28, 2025

Ms Yadav, however, questioned the BJP lawmakers and asked them why they didn't stage a protest over the alleged violence against women in Manipur.

#WATCH | Delhi | On AIIA President Moulana Sajid Rashidi's derogatory remark against herself and BJP's protest on it, SP MP Dimple Yadav says, "... It would have been better if they had protested against the Manipur incident, the videos of which were viral on social media. It… pic.twitter.com/CmvSWQHcNf

— ANI (@ANI) July 28, 2025

There was no immediate reaction from Akhilesh Yadav, who is attending Parliament's Monsoon session alongside Ms Yadav and other Samajwadi Party MPs.