ICI demands strict action against Yati for anti-Prophet slur

Lucknow: Chairperson of the Islamic Centre of India and Imam of Eidgah Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali, on Tuesday, condemned the recent statement made by Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati on Prophet Mohammad.Appealing to public to maintain peace and harmony following reports of protest which led to FIR in Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr and Saharanpur, the imam said, "Statement by Yati Narsinghanand has not only hurt deeply the sentiments of millions of Indians, it also aimed to incite communal feelings among Muslims worldwide."A delegation from ICI submitted a memorandum to the DGP UP, demanding stringent legal action against Yati and his incarceration."The memorandum implores UP govt to advise Central govt to enact a rigorous national law to ensure that derogatory remarks against any religion or religious figures were met with the most severe penalties," he said.Meanwhile, Iftikhar Ahmed Javed, national secretary of the BJP Minority Front, echoed similar sentiments and said, "A Muslim can endure personal affronts but cannot bear disrespect towards the Prophet. It is prudent to disregard utterances of any such fanatic. The approach to opposing such despicable characters and hooligans should be through democratic means."