Renowned Urdu poet Munawwar Rana was booked by the Uttar Pradesh police for allegedly spreading enmity between groups with his recent comments in which he purportedly provided a justification for the murders in knife attacks in France by extremists over caricatures of Prophet Muhammad.
In an interview to a Hindi television channel last week, Mr. Rana condemned the person who drew the caricatures of the prophet. In the same breath, however, he said that persons who committed the murders over the caricature had committed even more deplorable acts. What landed him in a soup was the part where he said that if someone had drawn a cartoon of his parents or even of Hindu gods and goddesses, he would have done the same (murder).
“If someone makes such an obscene cartoon of my father or mother, I will kill that person”, he said.
When asked by the reporter, if he endorsed the killings, Mr. Rana repeated, “I will kill [that person]”.
Mr. Rana went on to say that he would also feel like killing a person who makes disgusting, obscene and objectionable cartoons of Sita, Lord Ram or other gods and goddesses.
A case was lodged against Mr. Rana at the Hazratganj police station on the complaint of a sub-inspector. The FIR accuses Mr. Rana of justifying the murders and spreading communal discord, which could threaten social harmony and law and order.
Mr. Rana was booked under various charges, including promoting enmity between groups and outraging religious feelings with deliberate intent.
‘I stand by my statement’
Talking to a news agency on Monday after the FIR, Mr. Rana said he stood by his statement.
“I stand by my statement. Na Dal badlu hoon, na byan badlu hoon [Neither do I change sides, nor do I change my statements]”, he said.
Talking to other media, he said his remarks were taken out of context and that he only meant to provide the perspective for acts committed in the name of religious fanaticism.