Author: UNI
Publication: Deepika.com
Date: February 13, 2006
URL: http://www.deepika.com/english/latestnews.asp?ncode=32666
Reiterating the country's commitment to religious
tolerance Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has assured Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed
Bukhari that India had taken up with the Danish government the controversy
over the publication of cartoons of Prophet Mohammad.
''When we raised this with the Danish side
in October last year, we had suggested that apologies should be sought and
the Danish government should obtain assurances that the concerned newspapers
would prevent recurrence of such incidents,'' Dr Singh said in a letter to
the Shahi Imam.
The Prime Minister made the assurance in response
to the Imam's February 9 letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, expressing
anguish over the the ''silence'' of the Congress and the Government over ''this
highly sensitive and grave issue.'' The Imam of Jama Masjid, Delhi, had marked
a copy to Dr Singh.
The Government of India was ''deeply concerned''
both by the publication of these cartoons and by the growing international
controvercy that has arisen as a result, the Prime Minister said in a letter
dated February 11.
''However, I should inform you that when these
cartoons were first published, the Government of India had conveyed its sense
of outrage both in New Delhi and Copenhagen to the Danish government.'' Further,
''we remain convinced that diversity and plurality must be nurtured. For this,
it is essential for every segment of society to be sensitive to the beliefs
and sentiments of other members society,'' Dr Singh said.
