Indian muslims in their own words

[G.Subramaniam]

ndian Muslim leaders oppose appointment of Salam Azad as Dy High commissioner in Calcutta



Reported by: UNBconncet

Reported on: March 18, 2010 20:35 PM

Reported in: National

Dhaka, Mar 18 (UNB) - A group of Muslim leaders of West Bengal has written to the Bangladesh Prime Minister requesting her not to send as Dhaka’s deputy high commissioner in Calcutta a writer they claim has insulted the Prophet and made false allegations of atrocities against Hindus, reports daily Telegraph from New Delhi.



The letter says Salam Azad, said to have been shortlisted as a possible candidate for the post, “is known for his blasphemous writings’’ and his appointment will be against the public interest and the interest of Bangladesh.



“He (Azad) in his numerous writings has brought several blasphemous charges against the saviour of humanity. Being Muslims, these views are totally unacceptable. Vanga Matt, Salam Azad’s book published from Calcutta, is full of false accusations, slander and defamation against the Holy Prophet of Islam,” the letter says.



The signatories to the letter include Usman Ghani, former head of the department (Islamic History) of Calcutta University, Abdur Rauf, editor of literary journal Chaturanga, and five others, including a prominent cleric.



Although the letter does not mention Taslima Nasreen, the leaders fear that Azad could end up being a male version of the controversial Bangladeshi writer. Last month, violence had erupted in Karnataka after the Kannada translation of an article purportedly written by Taslima was published in some local dailies.



The Muslim leaders have accepted in their letter that officially they have no say in who Dhaka picks, but voiced fears that Azad’s appointment could hurt bilateral relations, which have improved in Hasina’s tenure.



The leaders have alleged that Azad in his other books - such as Chukti Uttar Prabatta Chatagram, Shasti Bahini Shanti Chukti, Ethnic Cleansing, Bangladeshe Bippono Sonkha Loghu, Why Hindus Left Bangladesh - claims that the minorities (Hindus) in Bangladesh have gone through unspeakable torture, injustice, ethnic cleansing and execution at the hands of the military and citizens alike. But unbiased sources, the leaders have pointed out in the letter, have clarified the charges of such atrocities are baseless.



The letter concludes by urging the Prime Minister Hasina to “kindly reconsider the appointment and take appropriate measures”.



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So here we have a BD muslim author Salam Azad, documenting the ethnic cleansing of Hindus and West Bengal muslims oppose him