Prophet remarks: Bangladesh sees protests
DHAKA: Muslims took to the streets in huge protests around Asia after Friday prayers, sparked by remarks about the Prophet Mohammed by an Indian ruling party official that embroiled the country in a diplomatic storm.
Anger has engulfed the Islamic world since last week, when a spokeswoman for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party commented on the relationship between the prophet and his youngest wife on a TV debate show.
Around 20 countries have since called in their Indian ambassadors and the party has gone into damage control, suspending the official from its ranks and insisting it respected all religions.
Friday saw the biggest street rallies yet in response to the furore, with police estimating more than 100,000 people mobilised across Bangladesh after midday prayers.
“We gather here today to protest the insult of our prophet by Indian government officials,” said Amanullah Aman, a protester in the capital Dhaka. “We want death penalties for them.”
Crowds in the city chanted slogans denouncing Modi and warning enemies of the Muslim faith to “be careful”.
In Pakistan, a radical religious party known for frequently paralysing the country with its antiblasphemy rallies held a march in its stronghold of Lahore after Friday prayers.
Around 5,000 supporters of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan -- a previously banned group -- gathered to protest in the city centre calling on the government to take stronger action against India over the comments.
“The Prophet of Islam is our red line. Be it India... or anyone else, they should know that defenders of Islam will not remain silent,” said school teacher Irfan Rizvi.
Separately, Pakistan’s foreign ministry on Friday said authorities were trying to trace and arrest suspects who this week desecrated a Hindu temple in Karachi.
It said that the probe was still underway, and those who attacked the temple on Wednesday before fleeing the scene “will not escape justice and the government will deal with them with the full force of law.”