BJP condemns Waseem Rizvi's anti-Quran remarks; fatwa issued against ex-Shia Waqf leader [details]

Former Shia Waqf board chairperson Waseem Rizvi, who filed a PIL in the Supreme Court, seeking removal of 26 verses from the Quran, has landed in the eye of a severe storm within his community.

General secretary of Majlis-e-Ulama-e-Hind and well-known Shia cleric, Maulana Kalbe Jawad, and Imam of Aishbagh Eidgah and Sunni cleric, Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahali on Friday have not only condemned Rizvi's move but have demanded his arrest for attempting breach of peace and blasphemy.

Rizvi, recently approached the Supreme Court for elimination of 26 verses of the Quran.

As per Rizvi's petition, these verses incite violence and were allegedly added on in the Quran later in the period of the first three Caliphs.

However, both Shia and Sunni clerics have said that not a single word has been altered or tampered with in the original Quran in the last 1,400 years.

Maulana Kalbe Jawad said, "Rizvi should be arrested immediately for rabble rousing. He is an agent of anti-Muslim forces and since the CBI is investigating corruption in the waqf board, he is going out of his way to cling to support."

J&K BJP condemns Rizvi's petition

BJP condemned Rizvi's remarks and the party-in-charge of the BJP for the Kashmir province even filed a complaint against him for hurting the sentiments of the Muslim community with his anti-Islamic remarks.

"We have filed a complaint at Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Srinagar's officer against Waseem Rizvi for his anti-Quran remarks," Manzoor Bhat, who was recently made party-in-charge of the BJP for the Kashmir province, told reporters.

"Nobody will be allowed to speak against any community or their holy book," Bhatt said. "We have filed a complaint and want the accused to be dealt with strictly so that no one will be allowed to interfere or make the remarks that would hurt the sentiments of any particular community," he added.

Fatwa against Rizvi

Meanwhile, the Imam of Teeley Wali Masjid, Maulana Fazle Mannan and Kalbe Sibtain Noori issued a fatwa against Waseem Rizvi.

Condemning Rizvi's petition, members of the two factions dismissed Rizvi from Islam and the society.

"Rizvi is an Israeli agent who only works on creating a rift in the peace and unity of society," said Maulana Fazle Mannan Rahmani Nadwi, a well-known Sunni cleric.

Maulana Kalbe Sibtain Noori, a Shia cleric, said, "This is not the first time Rizvi has played with religious sentiments. He is not part of the society as he only maligns its setup."

"If the government does not arrest him, it will be clear that it wants chaos and rioting. Rizvi is neither a Shia nor a Muslim," he added.

Meanwhile, a group of Muslims burnt Rizvi's effigy on Saturday and staged a demonstration outside his house in Kashmiri Mohalla.

Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahali said that the court should dispose of Rizvi's petition which has hurt the Muslims across the world.

"Allah has taken responsibility of his Holy book and said that not even a letter or punctuation in it will change till 'Qayamat'. Strict legal action be taken against him and the government should immediately arrest him for breach of peace," he said.

(With inputs from IANS)