Sushree Mohanty
A First Information Report was documented against former Uttar Pradesh Shia Waqf Board chief Waseem Rizvi for supposedly harming the religious belief of Muslims with his appeal in the Supreme Court requesting for expulsion of certain paragraphs of the Quran which he asserted influences terrorism.
The complaint was filed at the Kotwali police headquarters following objections by Anjuman Khuddam-e-Rasool secretary Shan Ahmed and an association known as Ittihad-e-Millat Council, the police reported.
The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Bareilly, Rohit Singh Sajwan additionally said that the case was documented under sections 295A of the Indian Penal Code for a conscious attempt intended to outrage the religious belief of the Muslim by offending their faith and convictions.
Director of the Raja Action Committee, Maulana Afroz Raja Qadri, asserted that certain sectarian powers were influencing and working behind Rizvi, and that opportunity has arrived to expose them.
Individuals from the Muslim community staged a mass demonstration in Lucknow against Rizvi.
Shia pastor and senior individual from the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board Maulana Kalbe Jawwad and many other individuals partook in the demonstration at the Bara Imambara area.
Addressing the event, Maulana Syed Salman Hasni Nadvi laid weight on Muslim’s faith and unity and referred to Rizvi as a “kaafir (non-devotee)” and “mujrim (criminal)”.
“We are adherents of the Quran and Allah first, Sunni and Shia later. Thus, there are no distinctions among us as far as the Holy Quran is considered,” Nadvi then stated.
Maulana Jawwad had told correspondents that Waseem Rizvi was associated with a “jamaat (gathering)” that is involved in practices of distorting their existence and going against their religion.
“He has been involved in anti-religious practices, however, this time, he has broken all limits by raising a finger on the Quran,” Jawwad said, requesting the authority to detain Rizvi and impose a hefty fine on him
In Bareilly, Mufti Ahsan Raja Qadri of the Dargah-e-Ala Hazrat, an important center for Barelvi Muslims, too had censured Rizvi’s actions and said not no change in the Quran will be tolerated or accepted.
He additionally said that,
“Waseem Rizvi is a non-believer and enemy of Quran and Islam. He is doing this to assemble supporters and to save himself from the Waqf scam incident”.
Rizvi had filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking removal of some stanzas from the holy Quran.