By Rehan Ansari, TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai: Dissociating themselves from Pastor Terry Jones of Florida, Archbishop of Mumbai, Cardinal Oswald Gracias led Catholic, Protestant and other religious leaders mainly Muslims, on Wednesday at the Archbishop house, to strongly condemn pastor’s call of burning Quran on the ninth anniversary of 9/11 attack.
“This is highly irresponsible and inconsiderate statements made by Pastor Terry Jones in the USA giving rise to extremism and hatred” claimed Cardinal Oswald. He said it’s very sad and “I stand with my Muslim brethren on this unfortunate incident.”
Oswald Gracias, Catholic archbishop of Mumbai with Maulana Zaheer Abbas Rizvi, Vice President, Congress Minority Cell
He also informed the audience that “They are the fringe elements with only 200 members in America, who declared this fanatic idea and the whole Christian world is against his call.”
Representing the Christians of India, H T Sangliana, Vice Chairman, National Commission for Minorities of India also echoed the same sentiments. He said that he talked to the American Embassy here in India and they also expressed their disapproval of the statement.
He assured Muslims throughout the world that, “this kind of statement is not acceptable and we are with you in the protest.”
Julieo Reibero, Ex-Police Commissioner of Mumbai also attended the press conference and was disappointed with the statement. He suggested, “These types of people are found in every religion and they are after the fame and the best way is to ignore them.”
American government should take strong action against these hate mongers and should take legal actions to stop these extremists. Abraham Mathai, Vice Chairman, Minority Commission of Maharashtra said and also added that “To stop this nonsense, Pastor Terry Jones and his followers must be arrested before 9/11.”
(L-R) Dr Abraham Mathai, Maulana Syed Ather Ali, Naseem Siddiki, Maulana Mustaqim Ahsan Azmi, Bishop Thomas Elvanal, H T Singliana, Bishop Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Maulana Zaheer Abbas Rizvi, Bishop Parkash Pathole
Terming the malicious campaign as against humanity, Nasim Siddiqui, Chairman of the Minority Commission of Maharashtra said that Books of all the faiths are actually respectable and Freedom of Expression does not mean insulting others and hurting religious sentiments. He advised for peace and communal harmony.
Mustaqeem Ahsan Azmi, President, Jamiat Ulema-I- Hind, Maharashtra and Qari Athar also addressed the press conference. Qari Athar said Christianity and Islam are the two biggest religions of the world and should ignore such kind of publicity stunt. He also demanded, “This sentiment and rage against the Pastor must reach the USA government and also that Indian Muslims and Christians are together.”
Terming the Quran burning issue as global, Maulana Zaheer Abbas Rizvi, a Shia cleric, said “Quran is about Jesus and Mariyam. It’s not the matter of Muslims only but for the whole world because, contrary to the prevailing perception, Quran is not only for the Muslims but for all human beings.”
At the end of the press conference Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Mumbai informed the media persons that he has sent the letter denouncing the act to his counterpart in the USA and to the USA government. He also accepted the idea by a senior journalist Sarfraz Arzoo that he must try and talk to Pastor Terry Jones to stop this fanatic idea.