Condemning Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's much-hyped three-day fast as a "melodrama", leading Islamic scholars and clerics have called upon both Muslims and Hindus to pray for divine retribution.
While Lucknow based leading Shia scholar Maulana Kalbe Jawaad urged Muslims to observe a 'roza' on the coming Friday and seek 'dua' for Modi's punishment, Darul Uloom Deoband chief Maulana Abul Qasmi Nomani promptly joined him in flaying and condemning the Gujarat chief minister for the state sponsored genocide in that state in 2002.
Nomani also flayed all those Muslims who were seen flocking around Modi at the latter's fast venue in Ahmedabad.
Addressing a press conference on Monday afternoon, Jawaad said, "If Modi feels he could be pardoned simply by sitting on a three-day fast, then I would like to ask him if he would be ready to grant reprieve to terrorists like Ajmal Kasab or Afzal Guru."
He said, "Modi's crime cannot be condoned because he observes a fast; on the contrary, I would appeal to all Muslims and Hindus to simultaneously observe 'roza' and 'upvas' (fast) accompanied with prayers seeking divine intervention to ensure punishment for the man who was responsible for the killing of innocent Muslims in Gujarat; if the court fails to punish him, we will pray to the almighty to punish Modi."
Expressing shock and dismay at the presence of some Muslims at the venue of Modi's fast, the Deoband chief said, "Considering that Modi's past record and role in anti-Muslim riots was known to all, it was not merely shocking and disheartening to find that some Muslims went to call on Modi at the fast venue, but they ought to know that their act was highly anti-Islamic." He went on to add, "I am sure such Muslims have killed their conscience."
