Mumbai, August 17: The President of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), Maharashtra, Maulana Ilyas Khan Falahi has demanded the arrest of Ramgiri Maharaj for his derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
In a statement, the JIH Maharashtra President said, “Religious leader Ramgiri Maharaj made objectionable remarks against Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and Islam during a religious event in Shah Panchale village, Nashik district. We condemn his remarks and demand legal action and his immediate arrest. We demand strict measures against such people who want to spoil the communal harmony in our state.
“The derogatory remarks have hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims and contributed to creating a rift between communities. The fact that some senior political leaders were seen patronizing Ramgiri Maharaj during an event in Nashik the same day makes us believe that this is a political conspiracy aimed at creating communal discord. It appears that there is a concerted effort aimed at inflaming communal tensions ahead of the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections by certain vested interests to derive political mileage by creating religious polarization. “
Maulana Ilyas Falahi further said, “We urge strict action against the guilty based on FIRs registered against Ramgiri Maharaj in Yeola (Nashik) and Vaijapur (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) by the Muslim community. We also demand action against TV channels, and media houses fanning hatred in the country. We call for the enactment of a blasphemy law to punish those insulting religious personalities of various faiths. The political environment created by certain communal forces to encourage aggression and hatred, and to reduce empathy and tolerance is also responsible for this situation. We urge the Muslim community not to fall prey to such provocative acts and maintain peace and composure. We appeal to all peace and justice-loving citizens to join hands and fight against this divisive hatred and violence.”
