The Uttar Pradesh police have booked Urdu poet Munawwar Rana for allegedly justifying the recent killings in France over caricatures of Prophet Muhammed.
In an interview to a Hindi channel last week, Mr. Rana condemned the person who drew the caricatures of the Prophet, but said in the same breath that the persons who committed the murders had done even more deplorable acts.
Mr. Rana said if someone had drawn a cartoon of his parents or even of Hindu gods and goddesses, he would have done the same. “If someone makes such an obscene cartoon of my father or mother, I will kill that person,” he said.
When asked during the interview, if he endorsed the killings, Mr. Rana repeated, “I will kill [that person].”
Mr. Rana went on to say that he would also feel like killing a person who makes “disgusting, obscene and objectionable cartoons of Sita, Lord Ram or other gods and goddesses”.
A case was lodged against Mr. Rana at the Hazratganj police station on the complaint of a sub-inspector. The FIR accuses Mr. Rana of justifying the murders and spreading communal discord, which could threaten social harmony and law and order. He was booked under various charges, including promoting enmity between groups and outraging religious feelings with deliberate intent.
‘Stand by statement’
Talking to a news agency on Monday, Mr. Rana said he stood by his statement. “I stand by my statement. Na dal badlu hoon, na byan badlu hoon [Neither do I change sides, nor do I change my statements],” he said.
He said his remarks were taken out of context and that he only meant to provide the perspective for acts committed in the name of religious fanaticism.
