Some unwarranted and insulting remarks about the Prophet of Islam (SAW) by some elements from country’s ruling party have angered Muslims and genuinely so. No established religion allows its followers to taunt the faith of others. Islam, particularly, is very clear about it. Quranic verse “lakum deenukum waliya deen” (to you is your religion (judgment), and to me is mine) clearly indicates the same. What a few politicians have said in some TV discussion about the Prophet (SAW) has hurt the sentiments of Muslims. India is a multi-religious and multi-cultural country. With 25 crore Muslims living in India, it is the second largest Muslim population country besides people from other faiths. It was in this backdrop that the founding fathers of present day India had adopted secularism as the basis of country’s polity where everyone is free to practice whatever faith s/he wants to without any coercion or threat. This multiculturalism makes India a beautiful poem with varying but sweet verses. The uncalled for utterances of a few politicians have threatened the very beauty of this poem called India and thus should be booked under the relevant sections of the law of the land and prosecuted.
That said, Muslims have every right to protest against these remarks and protest they should. But while protesting if they indulge in violence and use the identical vocabulary against the faith of those elements who hurt their feelings, they are no good then them. Registering ones protest peacefully and asking government of the day to deal with the issue is every citizen’s right but indulging in counter hate-mongering kills the very concept of genuine protest. Agreed that it is a very sensitive issue but dealing with such issues with supper caution and wisdom is the key. It is the time that Muslims, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir maintain calm. The Union Territory is already face to face with several serious challenges and can’t afford to sustain one more. Hate can’t be fought with hate. An eye for an eye will only make all blind. The people, through different forums have registered their protest and should leave it to the government of the day to act against those who indulged in such remarks to flare communal tensions. If the Muslims too start behaving the same way, they are neither representing their religion properly nor are doing any good to their society. It is hoped that all sections and religious groups in Jammu and Kashmir behave wisely and don’t fall to the vicious conspiracy that seems aimed at making people fight each other. Peace and communal harmony should be maintained at all costs and religious heads and civil society should come forward and ensure that the situation doesn’t take some ugly turn.
