Lakhs of Muslims across various Indian cities have been holding demonstrations and protests against Hindu Mahasabha Leader Kamlesh Tiwari for his “derogatory” remarks against Prophet Muhammad. In a press statement released on Nov 30, Tiwari had called Prophet Muhammad as the “first homosexual in the world”. His remarks had come a day after Uttar Pradesh Minister Azam Khan had called RSS member as homosexuals.
Protests have since been held in various cities including Bengaluru, Ludhiana, Indore, Bhopal, Hyderabad, Lucknow and many other cities in Uttar Pradesh, bringing traffic to a halt in these cities. Police have arrested Tiwari since, even as Muslim clerics and leaders in Lucknow demanded death penalty for insulting Prophet Muhammad, even burning his effigies.
“Kamlesh Tiwari should be hanged for his statement but same punishment should also be given to a Muslim minister (Azam) whose statement triggered Tiwari’s statement,”Indian Express quoted Shia Cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawwad while addressing protesters outside Asafi Mosque in Lucknow.
In the meanwhile, Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha (ABHM) has distanced itself from Tiwari’s comments and said he does not hold any position in the Mahasabha. “We condemn his statement. He should not have given such a statement. He does not hold any post in the organisation and there is no need for giving him importance,” Munna Kumar Sharma, national general secretary of the ABHM, told The Indian Express. News reports had claimed that Kamlesh Tiwari was the President of Hindu Mahasabha. They further claimed that it was a conspiracy of BJP and RSS to defame Hindu Mahasabha and create communal tensions.