DHAKA: Muslims took to the streets in huge protests around Asia after Friday prayers, sparked by remarks about the Holy Prophet (PBUH) by an Indian ruling party official that embroiled the country in a diplomatic storm.
Anger has engulfed the Islamic world since last week, when a spokeswoman for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party commented on the relationship between the prophet and his youngest wife on a TV debate show. Around 20 countries have since called in their Indian ambassadors and the party has gone into damage control, suspending the official from its ranks and insisting it respected all religions.
Friday saw the biggest street rallies yet in response to the furore, with police estimating more than 100,000 people mobilised across Bangladesh after midday prayers. “We gather here today to protest the insult of our prophet by Indian government officials,” said Amanullah Aman, a protester in the capital Dhaka. “We want death penalties for them.”
Crowds in the city chanted slogans denouncing Modi and warning enemies of the Muslim faith to “be careful”.
Suspended BJP spokeswoman in more trouble
In Pakistan, a religious party known for frequently paralysing the country with its anti-blasphemy rallies held a march in its stronghold of Lahore after Friday prayers.
Around 5,000 supporters of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan gathered to protest in the city centre calling on the government to take stronger action against India over the comments.
“The Prophet of Islam is our red line. Be it India... or anyone else, they should know that defenders of Islam will not remain silent,” said school teacher Irfan Rizvi.
Members of India’s 200 million-strong Muslim minority community staged demonstrations in several cities, with a large crowd gathered on the steps of the 17th-century Jama Masjid mosque in New Delhi.
Elsewhere in the capital, social media footage showed students of the prestigious Jamia Millia Islamia university burning an effigy of Nupur Sharma — the Bharatiya Janata Party spokeswoman whose comments set off the furore.
Authorities in Indian-administered Kashmir cut the restive territory’s internet connections, restricted prayer congregations at mosques and imposed a curfew on Friday.
Comments
Comments are closed.