Home » national news » Why are 1 lakh Muslims demanding death penalty for Kamlesh Tiwari?
 
SPEED NEWS

Why are 1 lakh Muslims demanding death penalty for Kamlesh Tiwari?

Speed News Desk | Updated on: 14 February 2017, 12:57 IST
  • You may not have heard about Kamlesh Tiwari before today.
  • According to reports, around one lakh Muslims have gathered in the communally-sensitive Muzaffarnagar and are demanding death penalty for him.
kamlesh tiwari 203

Protests against Kamlesh Tiwari in Ajmer. Photo: PTI

  • Similar protests against Tiwari has been reported from Bengaluru,Delhi and parts of Maharashtra.

Kmalesh Tiwari PTI

Protests against Kamlesh Tiwari. Photo: PTI

  • Why? Tiwari, who claims to be the working president of the Hindu Mahasabha, is currently behind bars on charges of hate speech and inciting violence by hurting communal sentiments.
  • On 3 December, Tiwari called Prophet Mohammad the world's first homosexual. He allegedly circulated pamphlets against the Muslim community, the Times of India reported.

  • He was arrested in Lucknow the same day. On 4 December, the Hindu Mahasabha stated that Tiwari was not a part of the outfit and that the controversy was an attempt by the BJP, the RSS and other groups to tarnish the image of the party.

  • This unsavoury retaliation reportedly has its roots in an ugly provocation by Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan. Tiwari claims he was responding to Khan's comments on RSS functionaries being homosexuals.

  • On 30 November, a Nai Duniya report quoted Khan as saying that RSS functionaries are homosexuals and that is the reason they do not get married.

  • This statement garnered sharp reaction from Hindu groups. Tiwari, in response made derogatory remarks against Khan and the Muhammad.

  • The one lakh people who have gathered in Muzaffarnagar - to demand death penalty for Tiwari - are backed by the Samajwadi Party.

  • The Times of India quoted Javed Ansari, SP's media convener for Muzaffarnagar as saying that the protesters have two demands.

  • First they want death penalty for Kamlesh Tiwari. The protestors have said that anyone who insults the Prophet should be hanged unto death.

  • The mob has also reportedly demanded stricter laws for such instances of hate-speeches made by leaders of any religious community.

  • However, there seems to be some differences within the Muslim community about the entire incident.

  • The Indian Express reported that Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawwad has demanded capital punishment for state minority welfare minister Azam Khan instead. The paper quoted him as saying:

"All this happened due to conspiracy of Hindu Mahasabha and the minister (Azam) so that Muslims and Hindus continue fighting and votes are divided... This Muslim minister is tarnishing the image of the government. After his controversial statement, Tiwari gathered courage to issue derogatory statement against Prophet Muhammad."

  • The bizarre chain of events coupled with ridiculous statements has created an atmosphere of communal tension in the already volatile Muzaffarnagar.
First published: 12 December 2015, 1:46 IST