Protests were held in Kashmir capital Srinagar and Kargil district of Ladakh on Friday over the remarks of French President Emmanuel Macron against Islam and the caricatures mocking Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
In Srinagar, the protests were carried out in several areas, including Batamaloo and Nawa Kadal.
All Traders and Transporters Joint Action Committee (ATTJAC) staged a protest in Batamaloo. The protestors were holding placards that read, “Kill us but don’t disrespect our prophet.”
“We are here to protest against the blasphemy of our Prophet Mohammad (SAW) by the French president and will continue this protest until he (Macron) apologizes to the Muslims around the world,” said Rouf Ahmad Ahangar, a transporter.
Another protester, Afhaaq Hussain Khan said, “We will not let anyone disrespect our Prophet Mohammad (SAW) be it even the president of France. Muslims around the world must boycott the French products completely.”
“A President who disrespects the other’s religion doesn’t deserve to lead a nation,” he said, adding “Either the president of France must apologize to the Muslims or step down from his post.”
A similar protest was held in Kargil district today where people took to streets and raised anti- France slogans.
Macron in his speech recently had said that Islam is a religion which is experiencing a “crisis” today, all over the world”. There was a need to “free Islam in France from foreign influences”, the president had said, outlining plans to end a system allowing Imams to train overseas, reduce homeschooling, and take control of religious funding.
Angry protesters have since staged demonstrations across several Muslim countries in response to Macron’s stance on caricatures denigrating Islam’s most revered prophet and his call to fight “Islamist separatism.”