Mansooruddin Faridi/New Delhi
While the National Commission for Protection of Children (NCPCR) has taken a stand on the issue of children's participation in the protests on controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammad in Hyderabad, scholars, and intellectuals have also condemned it. It has been called the principle of Islam and morally wrong.
Scholars and intellectuals say that the participation of children in demonstrations of any kind, especially where politics is mixed with religion, is a dangerous trend. It can jeopardize the future and education of the children.
Many said political or religious battles should be fought legally and constitutionally and that using provocative slogans worsens a situation. The protests in Hyderabad were held against the remarks of a former BJP legislator T Raja Singh on the Prophet of Islam. School children were also in the procession and raising slogans during the time of the day their schools were open.
As these pictures went viral, the NCPCR took note and asked the Hyderabad Police to register an FIR against those who used children for raising slogans against the suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader T Raja Singh.
They say the Prophet has condemned hooliganism even in defense of Islam and asked the Muslims not take the law into their hands and always be patient.
Dr. Maulana Mufti Muhammad Mukarram Ahmed, Imam of Delhi's historic Fatehpuri Masjid, said that whatever happened in Hyderabad was unfortunate. He told Muslims: “Don't take the law into your hands. You may protest since it’s your democratic right.
Mufti Mukarram said that slogans should not be raised in any religious demonstration. “There is no slogan in Islam. In such demonstrations, the slogans raised had nothing to do with religion. These only bring disrepute to the religion," he said.
He says some students may have joined the protest demonstrations voluntarily. However, everyone must understand that children must not be allowed to be part of the processioning and demonstrations. “This precaution is necessary. Let the children be engaged in education.”
He asked the government to take strict action in this regard. “So far no action has been taken against those who insult the Prophet of Islam to stop such statements. Such people should be prosecuted under strict law to bring them to justice.
He said: “I request Muslims to protest but they must not hurt anyone in the process. They mut follow the legal. The youth should focus on their future and education.”
Mufti Manzoor Zia, a prominent Islamic scholar and head of the International Sufi Caravan, says the Hyderabad incidents are hurtful as it was about the Prophet of Islam. He said the right to protest on the issue is fine but the participation of children in any demonstration is not right.
The presence of children in such an environment cannot be considered legitimate. If any political party is doing this then it is playing with the future of the children. It's a joke with the parents. This will also be brought under the category of exploitation. The question is whether political parties want these children to be their slaves. The most important thing in their life is education and nothing else.
He further said that the second important issue is that of provocative sloganeering. Such slogans can confuse the main issue and hurt the feelings of many. We must not forget that a large section of non-Muslims has shown their displeasure and hatred against what happened in Hyderabad.
Maulana Zaheer Abbas Rizvi, a prominent religious scholar from Mumbai, said that though comments on the Prophet are an emotional issue it must also be understood that the guilty leader has been arrested.
“The government has taken action, so we should wait patiently for justice.”
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