Hundreds of angry Muslims gathered at the historic Iqbal Maidan in the walled city to participate in a signature campaign against the publication of Prophet Mohammed ‘s cartoon by French magazine Charlie Hebdo. The protestors were of the view that Islam was being targeted intentionally throughout the globe in the cover of expression of freedom.
The gathering in that over ten thousand people signed the petition on the spot besides thousands of the people signed the petition online on the web page and on social networking sites Facebook and twitter. The people of city were also angry over a local Hindi daily that printed the Charlie news along with the same objectionable cartoon.
They were shouting slogans that the community would not tolerate insult of beloved prophet. People were seen reaching the Iqbal Maidan with their families to sign the petition in large numbers. The campaign would run for a week according to the organisers and later all the signatures would be forwarded through Madhya Pradesh Governor to the United Nations (UN) along with a memorandum seeking action against the magazine and its staff.
Dr Yusuf Khalil Hussaini, one of the organisers of the program, said, “Hurting sentiments of any religion followers in the name of right to expression is not correct. No one should be allowed to target any religion in the name of expression of freedom or right to expression.” Hussaini further said that UN should take strict action against the French magazine under the UN Minorities Resolution 1992 because this magazine was repeatedly and intentionally targeting the Muslims by making cartoons of their prophet.
Muslim youths, intellectuals and volunteers of social organization Farzandan e Millat carrying placards with messages that ‘Insult of Prophet’ would not be tolerated were present in large numbers at Iqbal Maidan and were requesting the passer-by to sign on the petition.