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Pair held for 'offending Islam'
By Subir Bhaumik
BBC News, Calcutta
The editor and publisher of a top English-language Indian daily have been
arrested on charges of "hurting the religious feelings" of Muslims.
The Statesman's editor Ravindra Kumar and publisher Anand Sinha were
detained in Calcutta after complaints.
Muslims said they were upset with the Statesman for reproducing an article
from the UK's Independent daily in its 5 February edition.
The article was entitled: "Why should I respect these oppressive religions?"
It concerns the erosion of the right to criticise religions.
In it, the author, Johann Hari, writes: "I don't respect the idea that we
should follow a 'Prophet' who at the age of 53 had sex with a nine-year old
girl, and ordered the murder of whole villages of Jews because they wouldn't
follow him."
Mr Kumar and Mr Sinha appeared in court on Wednesday and were granted bail.
Apology
Angry Muslims have been demonstrating in front of the offices of the
Statesman since its republication of the article.
Police have broken up the demonstrations using baton charges several times
this week.
Some Muslims close to the Jamiat-e-Ulema e Hind (The Organisation of Indian
Scholars, a leading Islamic group in India) later filed a complaint with
police alleging that the publication had "outraged their religious
feelings",
which is an offence under Section 295 A of the Indian Penal Code.
Mr Kumar has said he has already issued a public apology for reproducing the
article.
"I admit it was an editorial misjudgement but it was never intentional,
Kumar told the BBC in an interview.
Wednesday, 11 February 2009
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