Paris beheadings: Self-styled guardians of Indian Muslims 'justifying' heinous crime

By A Representative

Over 140 Indians, including activists, academics, writers, artistes, journalists and corporates, condemning the recent Paris beheadings, even as deploring the “outrageous statements” by Muslim religious and political leaders, have insisted, “No God, gods, goddesses, prophets or saints may be invoked to justify the killing and/or terrorising of fellow human beings”, adding, they “reject any ifs and buts in the justification of heinous crimes in the name of religion.”
In a statement, the signatories say, “We are deeply disturbed by the convoluted logic of some self-appointed guardians of Indian Muslims in rationalising cold-blooded murder and deplore the outrageous remarks of some heads of state”, underlining, “It has become the order of the day for all religious groups to indulge in whataboutery whenever such heinous crimes are committed by those belonging to their flock.”
It continues, “Rationalising crimes by comparing them to similar crimes committed by others is an irrational and absurd argument as two wrongs don’t make a right”, adding, “We stand in solidarity with the ‘French Council for the Muslim Faith’ for strongly condemning the attacks and issuing an appeal calling on all Muslims in France to cancel all celebrations of the birthday of the Prophet as a sign of mourning and solidarity with the victims and their loved ones."
The signatories include filmmakers Javed Akhtar Anand Patwardhan, writer-director Feroz Abbas Khan, former IPS officers Julio F Ribeiro and Vibhuti Narain Rai, danseuse Mallika Sarabhai, social activist Medha Patkar and Teesta Setalvad, advocate Mihir Desai, actors Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Hashmi, academics Dilip Simeon and Yoginder Alagh, political activists Sandeep Pandey Yoginder Yadav, writer Tushar Gandhi, Jesuit priest Cedric Prakash, journalist TK Arun, industrialist Abdul Aziz Lokhandwala and corporate executive Anwar Hussain.

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Click here for list of signatories

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