Muslim body condemns threats to suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma

The Indian Muslims for Secular Democracy IMSD sent out a statement on Monday evening saying that it ldquodeplored the divisive and hatedriven politics behind the statements made by the nowsuspended spokesperson of the BJP Nupur Sharmardquo The organisation also unequivocally condemned the threats to her lifeIMSD also strongly condemned Al Qaeda for threatening retaliatory terror acts The IMSD spokesperson stated they believed that democracy is ldquoinconceivable without the freedom of speech a freedom that is enshrined in the Indian Constitution All healthy democracies however make a clear and principled distinction between the right to free speech and a bar on hate speech that impinges on the right to life and dignity of the marginalisedrdquoAlso read Prophet remark row Nupur Sharma seeks time to appear before Bhiwandi policeA protest over her alleged remarks in West BengalA statement by the organisation read ldquoThe right to free speech includes the right to critical rational enquiry and healthy criticism of all forms of religious beliefs and practices In a democratic state there should be no place for any law on blasphemy as it has a chilling effect on free speech We therefore categorically oppose the demand by certain Muslim Islamist Hindu Hindutva organizations for a blasphemy law in India The right to criticism includes the right to offend as also the right of those offended to protest in peaceful and lawful ways But the offended have no right to silence the offender no god gods goddesses prophets or saints may be invoked to justify the killing of fellow humansrdquoAt the same time IMSD strongly condemned the ldquobulldozer rajrdquo in BJPruled states UP especially where the administration and the police are delivering ldquoinstant justicerdquo having assigned to themselves the ldquoallinone role of judge jury and executionerrdquoCops detain a woman for protesting against the demolition of the illegally constructed houses in the wake of Nupur Sharmas alleged remarks on Prophet Mohammad in New Delhi on Monday PicANIThe IMSD said it believed that in highly polarised and communally charged societies such as India today hate speech must not be confused with free speech It said ldquoAt a Dharam Sansad last December Hindu religious leaders openly called for the genocide of Indian Muslims International organisations including Genocide Watch have warned that India is on the brink of a genocidal bloodbath But Indiarsquos Prime Minister continues to remain silent on the subjectrdquoThe statement continued ldquoHindutvarsquos Hate Factory is working 247 to demonise Indian Muslims vilify them and a complicit electronic media offers a ready platform for daily mudslinging verbal warfare under the pretence of debate IMSD would also like to call out the socalled Islamic scholars who are bringing disrepute and playing with the safety and security of Muslims by participating in such prefixed TV debatesrdquolsquoWhy were you mum for 8 yearsrsquoldquoThe over dozen governments from Muslimmajority countries which have now expressed outrage over the insult to the Prophet have been conspicuous by their total silence in the last eight years and earlier despite repeated attacks on Indian Muslims including the recent call for genocide IMSD is not the least surprised because these very governments have no respect for human rights and freedom of expression We demand that these governments mend their ways promote fundamental rights and freedoms of all citizens in their own countries and across the globe It is rather rich for these despotic regimes to teach us lessons in secularism and pluralismrdquo it said stronglyThere are more than 100 signatories most of them Muslims but not all to the statement