Author:
Publication: The Free Press Journal
Date: March 14, 2001
Senior Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)
leader Acharya Giriraj Kishore on Tuesday termed the reports that his organisation’s
activists had burnt a copy of Quran during a demonstration here as “baseless”,
which has sparked off communal violence in some parts of the country.
“Such rumours (about the burning
of the Islamic scripture) are being spread to divide the Hindus and Muslims
and defame the BJP-led government,” VHP senior vice-president Acharya Giriraj
Kishore told PTI.
The Indraprastha Vishwa Hindu Parishad,
whose activists had participated in the demonstration by Hindu outfits
outside the UNO office here protesting against the destruction of Buddha
statue in Afghanistan, has also denied that they burnt the scripture. “VHP
does not believe in hurting the religious sentiments of anyone,” city unit
spokesman Ajay Devgun Said. Meanwhile, the All India Muslim Personal Law
Board has written to President K R Narayanan urging him to direct the Centre
to carry out “just, honest, objective and transparent investigations” in
the matter.
