What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
NEW DELHI: Kerala Governor and Islamic scholar Arif Mohammad Khan has blamed the extremist Islamic teachings imparted in madaras of India for incidents like the Udaipur beheading.
Speaking to The New Indian, Khan said, “Whatever was broadcasted on TV and the expression of these two men (the two killers) after beheading that person wasn’t of someone who is normal.”
Khan was reacting to a question on the gruesome killing of a Hindu tailor, Kanhaiya Lal by two Islamic extremists in Rajasthan’s Udaipur last month, which triggered massive protests across the nation.
He argued that madrasas in the country need to upgrade their academic curricula to make them inclusive. “The government of India guarantees every child who is below 14 years of age has this fundamental right to get broad-based education. The United Nations also declares the same. They can’t be taught specialized education like medical, MBA etc,” he said.
“When society allows a 7 years old child to go to a madrasa, it takes (away) their right to have a broad education. How can we allow these kids of 5-6 years of age to go to these madrasas,” he concluded.
The governor said, “This law, which is taught in the madrasas, violates the basic teachings of the Quran. They have distorted the meaning of Jihad.”
Referring to Islamic extremists’ call for ‘sar tan se juda’ (kill the person who indulges in blasphemy), the governor said that phrase has been taken from Sharia law which is not applicable in India.
Taking a dig at the believers of Shariat, Khan said, “If anyone believes in Shariat, it says you should not live in the country where it is not in force and instead migrate to the nation where it is applied.”
But you have no right to kill any innocent person, Khan said in a stern message.
On the issue of rising hate in the country, Khan said the Hindu-Muslim divide is an urban phenomenon. “You won’t see it in rural areas. In villages, Hindus and Muslims still live in amity. And even if there is a divide, we have to address it because there is no country in the world which is going to grant citizenship to Indian Muslims.”
