Nupur Sharma must be forgiven, don't agree with protests: Muslim body

New Delhi: Nupur Sharma must be forgiven for her remarks against Prophet Muhammad, Jamaat Ulama-e-Hind president Suhaib Qasmi said on Friday, adding that the Muslim body doesn't agree with the violent protests across the country seeking her arrest.

He said per Islam, Sharma must be forgiven. "We disagree with the protest that started across the country after Friday prayers against Nupur Sharma and her derogatory remarks," he was quoted as saying by the news agency ANI.

Sharma had made objectionable remarks against the Prophet during a television debate on the Gyanvapi mosque row. She was suspended from the party's primary membership earlier this month after a host of Muslim nations registered official objections with the Central government.

The Muslim body welcomed the BJP's decision to suspend Sharma. "We are welcoming the decision of the law because India is the law of the land and we are not going to take the law into our hands," he said, adding the body will issue a fatwa urging people not to support violence over her remark.

"The fatwa will come against Asaduddin Owaisi and Mohammad Madani," he added.

The protests demanding Sharma's arrest turned violent in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Ranchi. Two people died in the protest in the Jharkhand capital.

Sharma had withdrawn her statement saying she had been upset with the insults against Lord Shiva. She was referring to remarks made by some people during television debates that the reported Shivling found in the Gyanvapi Mosque was a fountain.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police have summoned Nupur Sharma on June 25 to record her statement in connection with an FIR over her remarks. 

With inputs from ANI