Prominent Muslim organisations on Wednesday condemned the brutal killing of a tailor in Udaipur, calling it "un-Islamic" and asserting that no person has the right to take law into one's hands.
Bodies like All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind issued statements condemning the murder of Kanhaiya Lal by two men who had posted videos online that claimed they were avenging an insult to Islam.
Delhi Jama Masjid Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari called the killing an "act of cowardice" and "an act against Islam". Islam is a religion of "peace and tranquillity," be said.
In its statement, the AIMPLB said such acts were against the principles of Islam and no one should take law in their hands.
"Insulting holy personalities of any religion is a serious crime. BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma made derogatory remarks about the holy Prophet of Islam, which is very sad for Muslims.
“The Government not taking any action against Nupur Sharma is like rubbing salt on the wounds. But despite this, taking the law into one's own hands and killing a person by declaring him a criminal is a condemnable act," the statement issued on behalf of AIMPLB general secretary Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani.
"Neither the law allows it nor does the Islamic Shariah justify it. Therefore, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board strongly condemns the incident in Udaipur (Rajasthan)," the statement said.
The board also urged the Government to make stringent laws regarding disrespectful comments against holy personalities and take immediate action in such cases.
The board also appealed to the Muslim community to act patiently and not take law into their own hands as well as not indulge in any such action that might disturb communal harmony in the country. Both the Arshad Madani and Mahmood Madani factions of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind condemned the incident and called it "un-Islamic".
In a statement, Maulana Arshad Madani said that just as "we had opposed mob-lynching in many places, we also consider this an inhumane act".
"We are always against anyone taking the law into their own hands. The Udaipur incident is a very tragic, un-Islamic and inhumane act, it is highly condemnable. The law of the state would work accordingly in this case as well," he said.
Madani also said that whatever happened "due to derogatory words" was bad, but in order to maintain law and order and communal harmony in the country, it is necessary to show tolerance and patience.
"Just as we oppose this incident, we are strongly opposing insulting the dignity of any religious figure," Arshad Madani said.
"We once again demand the government to immediately arrest those who have insulted the Prophet and punish them severely according to the law so that no one will dare to do so again in the future," he said.
