Discontent and anger is brewing across Jammu and Kashmir after Uttar Pradesh Shia Waqf Board Chairman Waseem Rizvi filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court demanding deleting of 26 Ayats (verses) from the Holy Quran.
On Saturday, people in Kashmir termed the act as blasphemous, held multiple protests against Rizvi and demanded stringent action against him.
Scores of people staged a protest burning an effigy of Rizvi and raising slogans against him at Press Colony in Srinagar.
“No Muslim will tolerate raising fingers on Quran. Quran teaches us peace, not violence. This man is trying to create a misconception by filing such a petition,” a protestor said.
People of Kashmir also took to social media expressing their anger against Rizvi.
Protests were held across Kashmir with the protestors demanding action against Rizvi.
The religious groups and Shia bodies in J&K also condemned Rizvi’s move.
Jammu and Kashmir Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), a conglomerate of various religious organisations of J&K condemned the mischievous and malicious agenda of Rizvi.
In a statement issued here MMU, the conglomerate of Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid, Dar-ul-Uloom Raheemiya, Muslim Personal Law Board, Jamiat Ahle Hadeth, Jama’at-e-Islami, Anjuman Sharia’n Shian, Karwaan-e-Islami, Itihaad-ul-Muslimeen, Anjuman Himayat-ul-Islam, Jamiat Hamdania, Anjuman Ulema-e-Ahnaaf, Dar-ul-Uloom Qasmia, Dar-ul-Uloom Bilaliya, Anjuman Nusrat-ul-Islam, Anjuman Mazhar-ul-Haq, Jamiat-ul-Aima Wal Ulema, Anjuman Aima Wa Mashaa’ikh Kashmir, Dar-ul-Uloom Naqshbandiya, Dar-ul-Uloom Rasheediya, Ahl-e-Bayt Foundation, Madrasa Kanz-ul-Uloom, Perwaan-e-Wilayat, Auqaf Islamiya Khurram Sarhama, Anjuman Tanzeem-ul-Makaatib, Muhammadi Trust led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, said that this move was deliberate and aimed at provoking Muslims and feeding into the agenda of Islamophobes hostile to Islam and full of hatred.
MMU appealed the people not to resort to violence over the obnoxiousness of Rizvi, which he and his masters would be anticipating to further their agenda and instead pledge to follow the teachings of the holy Quran in letter and spirit.
Grand Mufti of J&K, Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam said Rizvi should be arrested immediately for this blasphemous act.
Jamiat Hamdania also condemned Rizvi for the act and said that he had hurt the sentiments of the Muslims.
Condemning Rizvi’s blasphemous moves, Anjuman Sharie Shiayan President Aga Syed Hassan called on the authorities to register a case under Section 295-A of the Indian Penal Code against Rizvi for hurting the sentiments of Muslims.
Ittehadul Muslimeen President Maulana Masroor Abbas Ansari tweeted: “We strongly condemn the recent statement of Rizvi against the Quran. This man has become a tool of conspiracies of the enemies against Islam and Shiaism. Indian Muslims have already kicked him out of their midst and he has been excommunicated from Islam.”
A spokesman of Majlis-e-Ulmae Imamia said that Rizvi was an agent of anti-Muslim forces and with the CBI investigating corruption in the Waqf Board, he was doing all that was in his imagination to hold on to their support.
Jammu Muslim United Forum (JMUF) also condemned the action of Rizvi and said that this had hurt the sentiments of entire Muslim community while Jammu Muslim Front (JMF) appealed All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) to excommunicate Rizvi from Shiite community.
Condemning the blasphemous move of Rizvi, Kashmir Trade Alliance urged the Government of India to take strong action against him.
“Rizvi is known for his anti-Islamic remarks in the past and should be punished for that. He should be arrested because he is just trying to create conflict between the two schools of thought of Islam,” KTA President Ajaz Shahdhar said in a statement.
Criticising Rizvi for this blasphemous act, Jammu and Kashmir Civil Society Forum Chairman Qayoom Wani appealed the Supreme Court to outright reject the petition of amendments against Quran to safeguard and respect the sentiments of the Muslims and other Quran lovers who seek guidance from this book of Allah.