By TwoCircles.net staff reporter,
Patna: Muslims are respectable and patriotic citizens of the country who have fully contributed in its progress, and whenever it faced any threat to its integrity or harmony, they came first to sacrifice, said Union Minister of State for Home Dr. Shakil Ahmad.
But certain elements are now busy in tarnishing the image of Muslims and projecting them as suspects, he said adding this move is condemnable and must be strongly opposed. He said crime is an individual act; it should not be associated with a community. Muslims were also killed in Jaipur blasts as they were killed in bomb explosions at other places. This shows that Muslims are also becoming victims of terrorism as other people are, he said.
Dr. Shakil also accused media of acting irresponsibly. He said that after bomb blasts in Mumbai four young men from his own constituency (Madhubani, Bihar) were arrested on suspictions but were released three days later. When they were arrested long news stories along with their big pictures were broadcast but their release was ignored by the same media. He said some days ago a Hindu was arrested on basis of his alleged relations with Lashkar-e-Taiba but media took it as an individual case and did not highlight. The same practice should have been adopted in case of Muslims.
He further said media should understand that its job is to unite society and not to disintegrate it. Blaming a whole community for creating sensational news is not appropriate in any case. The minister said misunderstandings about Islam are being spread deliberately which can be countered only through better relations among common Hindus and common Muslims and such better relations can be created through inter-religion dialogue. This is the responsibility of the government, secular people and leaders and Muslims themselves, he said.