New Delhi: Asserting that protesting an “insult” to Prophet Mohammad is a constitutional right of Muslims, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind on Saturday said the denial of this right through “indiscriminate arrests”, police firing and the use of bulldozers was a “disgrace” to any democratic government.
The prominent Muslim organisation’s statement came after two persons succumbed to gunshot wounds in Jharkhand’s Ranchi and demonstrations were held in West Bengal’s Howrah as tension prevailed in several parts of the country a day after the violent protests against the controversial remarks by the BJP’s now-sacked two functionaries on Prophet Mohammad.
The Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested 237 people from various districts in the state in connection with Friday’s violence. In Kanpur, which witnessed protests and stone-pelting over the issue on June 3, the Kanpur Development Authority on Saturday demolished a multi-storey building allegedly owned by a close aide of the main accused.
In a statement, Jamiat’s general secretary Maulana Hakeemuddin Qasmi said “police atrocities” during nationwide protests against the remarks on the Prophet and its inability to control the situation have “added fuel to the fire”.
He reiterated that “insulting” the Prophet cannot be tolerated at all, he said.
“To protest against this is a constitutional and democratic right of Muslims and justice-loving citizens of the country,” he said.
“Denial to (of) these rights through the means of indiscriminate arrests, police firing and the use of bulldozers is a disgrace to any democratic government,” Qasmi said.
He said that the governments should comprehend that the protesters are the citizens of the country and thus they should not be treated as “foreign enemies”.
He, however, said that such demonstrations may involve mischievous elements and peaceful citizens have to be punished for their actions.
“So we appeal to the youth to beware of such elements and adopt a peaceful approach,” he said.
Qasmi said that efforts are being made at all levels to provide legal help to those arrested.
Nupur Sharma was suspended by the BJP while another leader, Naveen Jindal, was expelled over their controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad.
The comments led to an intense backlash in several Islamic countries and calls for a boycott of Indian products. There have been protests in many Indian cities as well, while multiple FIRs have been registered against Sharma.
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