Author: Times News Network
Publication: The Times of India
Date: February 11, 2006
Under pressure from Muslim groups " to
denounce the Prophet cartoons in a Danish newspaper, Congress has preferred
to walk the political tightrope by insisting that the caricatures are as offending
as artist M F Husain's painting of nude deities.
"Congress has a clear view-the religious sentiments of any community
should not be trifled with; the Danish cartoons are as objectionable as painter
Husain's drawing of idols in the nude, we condemn both," party spokesman
Abhishek Singhvi said on Friday.
The party's balancing act came after much
dithering as the country had seen a wave of angry demonstrations by Muslim
groups protesting the cartoons in the recent weeks.
Keeping in view the extreme sensitivity of the issue, Congress decided to
defer a statement as long as possible. What complicated the matter further
was a raging controversy over Husain's painting of a Hindu deity in the nude.
Following protests and demonstrations by outfits like the VHP and Bajrang
Dal, the artist withdrew the work from an exhibition and apologised. Congress
performed the political trapeze with utmost caution in an attempt to distance
itself from both issues.
Responding to question on other issues, the
spokesman said Congress strongly supported the view that as a nuclear power
India should keep a minimum credible deterrent.
About the separation of military uses from civilian ones, Singhvi said that
this issue should be decided by the scientists concerned.
Countrywide Protests
Muslims held demonstrations after Friday prayers and burnt Danish flags in
several parts of the country. Reports of demonstrations and burning and kicking
of' Danish flag came from Srinagar, Lucknow, Kanpur, Aligarh, Ahmedabad and
Hubli.
In Delhi, hundreds of protesters staged a march after offering prayers at
historic Jama Masjid. Syed Ahmed Bukhari, Imam of the mosque, criticised the
government for not taking up the issue which has "deeply hurt Muslims"
with the governments concerned.
Thousands of Kashmiris poured into the streets in Srinagar carrying banners
and chanting slogans against European newspapers and the governments. Hurriyat
chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, in his Friday sermon, appealed to Organisation
of Islamic Countries to convene an emergency meeting to chalk out a strategy
to foil "conspiracies" against Muslims.
In Karnataka's Hubli, the police had to resort to lathicharge to disperse
protesters who turned violent while taking part in a march in which an estimated
20,000 people participated.
