Khandwa: In Khandwa, BJP leader Nazia Elahi Khan created a furore over a remark that she made about the tomb of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, also known as Khwaja Garib Nawaz. In response, members of the Muslim community presented a memorandum seeking to receive effective action against her. They claimed that her comments had caused outrage among the Muslim community and asked that a criminal complaint be filed against her.
Later, the local first five members of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat handed over the memorandum to the SP demanding legal action. As per the memorandum, the act of insult incurred by demanding Nazia Elahi Khan – for hurting the sentiments of millions of Muslims and desecrating the dargah of the great Sufi saint Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Gharib Nawaz of Ajmer. According to the community members, Abdul Basit’s remarks to a female anchor were very insulting and deserved an apology; more importantly, those remarks offended numerous devotees and even disrespected a crucial religious personality.
The issue started on Thursday night when Nazia Elahi Khan went to an event in Khandwa. It is said that during her speech, she said, “It is prohibited for Muslims to worship at the shrine according to the teachings of the Quran” and “those who partake in the pilgrimage … will not get a chance to go to paradise.” She was reportedly even more explicit, urging the authorities to heavily punish those involved in shrine worship, saying it was ‘sinful’.
The statement has elicited a lot of raw backlash from the Muslim community, who have deemed it an attack on their religious rights. They said such obnoxious and provocative statements should not be made as they often cause upheavals to the communal peace.
This incident has also drawn awareness to the big picture of sensitivity in handling words, especially those uttered by political mouth peacefully. The community now seeks police response in the matter and yearns for an outcome that will bring about peaceful coexistence and respect for one another.
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