Remarks against Prophet: MRM Demands Action against Muslims Organising Protest Demonstrations

Manas Dasgupta

NEW DELHI, June 12: Amidst chorus of condemnation from the Muslims both at home and abroad over the suspended BJP leaders remarks against Prophet Mohammad, one Muslim organisation, the Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) on Sunday condemned the Muslims organising protest demonstrations against the comments by the ousted leaders Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal.

The MRM, which is the only Muslim organisation linked with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), on Sunday condemned the violence erupted in different parts of the county after the Friday Namaaz demanded that those who participated in it be outcast from Islam, saying the incidents of stone-pelting, arson and rioting did not only brought disrepute to the religion but also ashamed the Muslims.

In a statement, the outfit, led by its founder and RSS national executive member Indresh Kumar, called the incidents of violence “a conspiracy” to create unrest in India and malign its image abroad, and urged the Muslims to stay calm and do not get misled by anyone.

The Muslim forum demanded that all the state governments concerned wherever violence broke out take swift action against such rioters to maintain law and order as well as peace, and asked the non-BJP political parties including TMC, AAP, Samajwadi Party, Shiv Sena, Congress to take action against their leaders “who indulge in insulting Hindu deities and religion.”

“In wake of the incidents of violence, an emergency online meeting of the all key office bearers of the Manch (forum) was held on Saturday. The meeting, presided over by national convenor Mohammad Afzal, strongly condemned the incidents of stone pelting, arson and rioting that took place in different parts of the country on Friday,” the MRM said. The meeting noted that the incidents of Friday violence did not only brought disrepute to Islam, but also ashamed the Muslims, the outfit said.

It also noted that Islam is recognized as a peaceful religion, but the Friday’s incidents of stone-pelting and rioting in different parts of the country indicates that it has gone into the clutches of “Satan”, the outfit added. “The Manch demands that all those who indulged in stone pelting, arson violence on Friday and made hate speeches be outcast from Islam. It is Manch’s appeal to all Ulema and Maulvis to consider this demand,” the MRM said.

“The MRM demands that the TMC, AAP, Samajwadi Party, Shiv Sena, Congress and other parties also take strict action against their leaders who indulge in insulting Hindu deities and religion as well as incite violence,” it added.

The outfit alleged that the Friday violence was part of “a conspiracy to create unrest in India and malign its image abroad in the name of protest against certain remarks made by two BJP functionaries against Prophet Mohammad. Noting that the BJP has already taken action against its functionaries for their remarks, the outfit appealed to the Muslim community to “remain calm and do not get misled by anyone.”

“The MRM requests the Muslim society to understand that violence and hatred are not the solution to any problem. Violence only leads to destruction. Prophet Mohammad Saheb has also given the message of patience and love,” it said. Underlining that the Constitution of the country does not allow anyone take the law into one’s hands, the MRM demanded that the state governments take “swift action against those who indulged in violence to maintain law and order as well as peace.”

Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh police have lodged two FIRs in connection with two separate incidents of posting inflammatory messages on social media platforms, a senior official said on Sunday. Bareilly SP City Ravindra Kumar said an FIR was registered at Premnagar police station against one Rehan on Saturday night on the complaint of Shalini Johri, for posting inflammatory message on a social media platform.

Johri is a local BJP member and head of one of the party’s women groups. Rehan, according to police, posted an edited picture of former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. Sharma is under fire following her alleged objectionable comments on the Prophet Mohammed.

Another FIR has been lodged against Kuldeep who sent an objectionable message about Prophet to Furkhan. City Magistrate Rajeev Kumar said some people on Saturday night also protested demanding action against Kuldeep. Police asked the protesters to return to their homes after assuring them of action, Kumar said.

In riot-hit West Bengal, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state Assembly Suvendu Adhikari was on Sunday afternoon stopped by police at Tamluk in Purba Medinipur district “as a precautionary measure” to prevent him from visiting violence-hit Howrah district, where prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC has been imposed, a senior officer said.

Adhikari was moving with his security entourage when he was stopped by a huge police team at Radharani More in Tamluk. He was not accompanied by any other BJP leader. “We have received information that Adhikari was planning to visit Howrah district, in parts of which Section 144 of CrPC has been imposed. So, as a precautionary measure, we had to prevent him from going there as his visit may cause a law and order problem,” a senior police officer said.

Adhikari remained seated inside the vehicle, claiming he had no intention of visiting Howrah. He was also reluctant to return to his Kanthi residence in Purba Medinipur district from where he had started. He engaged in heated arguments with police officers present at the spot, who were blocking his vehicle. The stand-off continued till late in the evening.

Before leaving for Howrah, Adhikari had said he would move the court on Monday if he was stopped from visiting vandalised BJP offices in the district, which witnessed violent protests over controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad by suspended BJP spokespersons. His assertion came after Kanthi Police Station issued a letter asking him not to visit Howrah as prohibitory orders are clamped in several areas in the district.

The BJP state unit chief Sukanta Majumdar was arrested on Saturday afternoon when he was heading towards Howrah district. He was released after about four hours. “After putting BJP WB President Sukanta Majumdar under detention, Mamata Banerjee is now ensuring that LoP Suvendu Adhikari is not able to visit Howrah, where BJP offices have been gutted. Her entire focus is on the opposition, not on rampaging ‘Dudhel Gais’ (milch cows), as she calls them,” BJP’s West Bengal co-in charge Amit Malviya tweeted.

Reacting to the development, senior TMC leader Kunal Ghosh alleged that Adhikari wants to visit Howrah with the intention of fanning trouble. “What is the need for visiting areas where Section 144 of CrPC has been imposed? He is going to Howrah to create trouble. The BJP wants to destroy the peaceful atmosphere in the state,” he said. Protests erupted in several parts of Howrah district on Friday over controversial remarks by suspended BJP spokespersons on Prophet Mohammad.