Ahmedabad:
An organisation floated by eminent Muslims of Gujarat on Saturday denounced as "inflammatory and derogatory" the recent statement made by a delegation of MPs from that country about alleged persecution of Muslims in the state.
"Their remarks that Muslims in the state are persecuted will widen the split between religious communities in the state," Jafar Sareshwala, CMD of Parsoli Corporation Ltd, who along with some others, has formed The United Force for Peace and Harmony, told reporters here.
A German delegation comprising ruling party MPs, which had visited the state on April 8 charged minorities are persecuted here and that they have no freedom. They had also adversely commented on the Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi.
"Muslim community here is living in harmony. The state government has taken various steps for Muslims like facilitating Haj pilgrimage, dress code of Muslim women `Burkha' is respected and we follow our religion and celebrate all festivals with dignity," Sareshwala said.
"The German delegation alleged persecution of Muslims in Gujarat without meeting a single Muslim or representatives of NGOs working toward rehabilitation of the 2002 riot victims. Their statements were myopic, inflammatory and derogatory in nature," he said.
"We do not say that there are no issues here. There are issues but India's democratic process is capable of dealing with them," he further said.
"There was violation of the fundamental and human rights during 2002 riots, but all these grievances are being taken care of by the judiciary and special investigation team set up by Supreme Court," Sareshwala said.
"We have full faith in our judiciary and the democratic institutions of our country and we don't need any outside influence for the matter," he further said.
"I do not understand why they are raising up the issue at this stage almost eight years after the riots," he said.
He further said that an indicator of religious freedom in Gujarat is that the per person Madrassa is among the highest in the state, second only to Uttar Pradesh. It indicates the freedom and support the community receives for education from the state government.
On the contrary, there are major issues in Europe. Muslim women are debarred to come to public places with Burkha in France, Switzerland has put restrictions on constructing mosques and minarets and cartoonists who indulged in sketching derogatory cartoons of Prophet Mohammed have been sheltered,Sareshwala said.
"We had sought appointment from German ambassador but they have not given us time so we wrote a letter to them about what we think," he further said.
"Quality of our life as far as religious freedom is concerned is very good in Gujarat and India," eminent businessman and religious scholar Moulana Mohammad Ali Maniar said adding Muslims do not want help of Europeans.