INDIA SUMMARIZED

Muslim cleric and leader of the Jamiat Ulema Hind, Mufti Mohammad Ilyas Qasmi, had referred to Lord Shiva as the “first messenger of Islam” in Ayodhya on February 19, asserting that Indian Muslims were followers of the Sanathan Dharma. Now, the Bareilly-based All India Faizan-e-Madina Council, a socio-political group, has announced a bounty of Rs 1,00,786 on his head. The ‘national president’ of the outfit, Mooen Siddiqui Noori, on February 23 said the cash award would be given only to a Muslim. An “Islamic” sword would also be presented to the killer. Qasmi, long known as a champion of communal amity in Ayodhya, has also said that Muslims should not be averse to being called Hindus, for the people of China were called Chinese, and the people of Japan, Japanese. “Qasmi made these strange remarks against the Sharia on insistence from the RSS. If he really had any knowledge, his comments would be backed by the holy scripture,” Noori added. Faizan-e-Madina, say its memb...