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Indians demand pope apologises
16/09/2006 09:07 - (SA)
New Delhi - Indian Muslim leaders and political parties have demanded an apology from Pope Benedict XVI for his remarks implicitly linking violence and Islam.
The chief cleric of the 17th-century Jama Masjid mosque in New Delhi said the comments were a deliberate attempt to hurt the feelings of Muslims worldwide.
"He should apologise to the Muslims of the world," said Syed Ahmed Bukhari.
"What the Pope said is absolutely wrong. Prophet Muhammad preached only love and peace."
'Hurdles to world harmony'
During a trip to his native Germany, the pope cited a 14th-century Christian emperor who said the Prophet had brought the world "evil and inhuman" things ,"such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached".
The main opposition Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the pontiff's remarks could create "hurdles in the way of world harmony".
"The pope should immediately clarify his position and if his reported statement is true, he should apologise," said BJP spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in New Delhi.
The ruling Congress party also condemned the pope's remarks in which he talked about the "issue of jihad, holy war".
"The pope is not only the leader of a religion, he is also the head of a state and therefore he should be more careful in making statements," Congress spokesperson Satyavrat Chaturvedi told the Press Trust of India.
More insulting than cartoons
Protests erupted on Friday in revolt-hit Indian Kashmir where Islamic rebels are fighting Indian rule, New Delhi, the northern city of Lucknow and other cities with Muslims denouncing both the pope and the United States.
Maulana Rashid, a member of the powerful All-India Muslim Personal Law Board, said the pope's statement was more insulting than the Danish cartoons of the Prophet, which led to worldwide demonstrations by Muslims after their publication in September 2005.
Nearly 13% of India's one billion-plus population is Muslim.
- SAPA
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