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| Angry mob in Kashmir protest against knighthood title to Rushdie | | |
Srinagar, June 21: Angry mobs today burnt the effigy of India born British writer, Salman Rushdie, to protest the knighthood title conferred upon the controversial writer by the British Queen. The protests, which are likely to intensify in the coming days, had earlier invited severe criticism from Kashmir’s clerics who claimed that knighthood to an anti-Islamist like Rushdie hurts the sentiments of Muslims.
Hundreds of activists of People’s Freedom League today took out a protest demonstration in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk area and raised slogans against Rushdie’s knighthood. “Down with Rushdie. Down with Britain and down with the enemy of Islam and humanity,” the protesters chanted while moving towards Lal Chowk’s clock tower, the Ghanta Ghar. Protesters carried an effigy of the controversial writer which was later put to fire near the clock tower to demonstrate the resentment against conferring of the title.
“Britain knows how ruthless he has been while portraying Islam in a dark shade,” said a protester, Ghulam Abbas, adding that Rushdie’s comments regarding Islam were fictitious and far from the facts. “We can’t tolerate creating a hero out of a villain. Britain is doing this under a certain plan to hurt the sentiments of Muslims across the world,” he added.
Rushdie, a hated figure in the Muslim world after the publication of his novel “The Satanic Verses”, has aroused Muslim anger several times before as well.
Kashmir's Grand Cleric, Mufti Bashir-u-din, had on Wednesday condemned the British government's honour to Rushdie. Urging Britain to withdraw the award, he declared that Rushdie was "liable to be killed" for hurting Muslim sentiments.
Joining the criticism, the Hizbul Mujahideen has called for a protest strike on Friday. Separatist leader, Syed Ali Geelani, who heads the hard line faction of the separatist Hurriyat Conference, said "The award to Rushdie by the British government is a highly mischievous act as it hurts the sentiments of millions of Muslims across the world."
Intense protests are expected to be held after Friday prayers as call for protest and strike has come from different corners, including Hizb, against the knighthood
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