New Delhi: Saying that Islam strongly prohibits acts of terrorism and the killing of innocent people, Muslim clerics will take out peace marches Sunday in 12 Indian cities to "share the pain" of the Mumbai carnage victims.
At a conference organised at the India International Centre here Saturday, members of the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, the Mili Council and the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat came down heavily on terrorism. "There should be no confusion that Islam does not permit killing of innocents. We share the pain of those who were killed in the Mumbai terror attacks. I have asked the people to celebrate Eid with simplicity," said Mufti M. Mukaram Ahmad, a top cleric. The peace marches will be taken out Sunday afternoon in Ahemdabad, Bangalore, Bhopal, Chennai, Delhi, Faizabad, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Patna, Lucknow and Mumbai, the clerics said. There will be no speeches, slogans or shouting during the marches. Speaking at the conference, veteran journalist M. J. Akbar, said: Such acts (terrorism)are against the spirit of Islam and attack on secularism and democracy of India.
The clerics asked the government to introduce religious education in the school curriculum in the country so that children are not mislead on the name of religion. "There is a need to introduce education about religion in school curriculum so that children can know about the teachings of different religions at an early stage," said Qari Usman, senior cleric of Darul Uloom Deoband.
