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India-Pakistan
Indian minister announces Rs 510m for cartoonistÂ’s death
2006-02-19
Haji Yaqoob Qureshi, Indian minister from UP, has announced a bounty worth 510 million rupees on the head of the Danish cartoonist responsible for offensive caricatures and warned the United States of America of suicide plane attacks akin to 9/11. According to Hindustan Times, at a rally in Meerut on Friday the minister announced a huge award for anyone who killed the Danish cartoonist. The Muslim clerics in Lucknow, who plan to hold a huge rally in Lucknow on Sunday, called upon the community to boycott US and European products in protest against the cartoons. The clerics said the money flowing to these countries from India was being used against Islam.

Lambasting the US, the minister said that “not one, two or three but hundred planes would be blasted against them. The planes will explode in every hour and minute there.” The minister told Hindustan Times on phone that the people of Meerut would weigh the assassin of the cartoonist with gold and give Indian rupees 510 million. “People of Meerut will contribute to collect this amount,” said the minister. Reacting to the minister’s insinuation, principal secretary (Home) Alok Sinha said Quereshi had been expressing the sentiments of the people of Meerut. He said it did not constitute any criminal offence. Indian opposition led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called for Yaqoob’s arrest.
Posted by:Fred

#8  Surely our agreements with India allow this POS to be flushed
Posted by: Frank G   2006-02-19 17:42  

#7  "...religious sentiment of a community,Â’Â’ he said. "

Even murderous sentiments are to be accepted. Fork tongued Indians, that I've known, but from a minister?
Posted by: Duh!   2006-02-19 15:17  

#6  It seems muslims are above the law....

LUCKNOW, FEBRUARY 18 UP Minister for Minority Welfare and Haji Yaqoob Quereshi who announced Rs 51 crore as reward for anyone beheading the Danish cartoonist for caricaturing Prophet Muhammad, today drew strong support from his Cabinet colleagues.

‘‘The law of the land doesn’t permit a minister to speak like this. But I am sure that he spoke all this as an individual...(But) we can pay even more than Rs 51 crore to teach a lesson to such people who hurt the sentiment of the Muslim community,’’ Samajwadi Party MP from Moradabad Dr Shafiqur Rahman Barq said. ‘‘Whatever he said may be intended towards sending a clear message that those who commit blasphemy on Islam won’t be spared at any cost. Killing the Danish cartoonist is the only option and we are ready to collect much more to pay as reward to one who punishes him.’’

The All India Waqf Welfare Council, meanwhile, held a meeting today and supported the call, saying Lucknow would contribute substantially to the bounty.

Hamid Kokab, Tourism Minister, meanwhile, tempered his support. ‘‘The announcement of reward for beheading the cartoonist may be his personal opinion. As a minister, he cannot say so. It seems that his statement is an emotional outburst of a Muslim because the cartoon hurt the religious sentiment of a community,’’ he said.
Posted by: john   2006-02-19 08:57  

#5  There is no immunity under Indian law for anyone other than the head of state (the President).

The Indian penal code does prohibit incitement to murder.
The UP Chief Minister has said that he sees no reason why Yacoob should be arrested because what he said concerns incidents located in a "far off country".
The Indian Central (Federal) authorities can step in but the Government relies on its UP MPs to stay in power.
Pressure is building though. Hopefully the entire UP state government will fall.

Posted by: john   2006-02-19 08:52  

#4  I find it hard to believe that Indian law does not prohibit this sort of thing, unless ministers have immunity.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2006-02-19 07:58  

#3  The Uttar Pradesh State Cabinet is full of fine upstanding muslim ministers. One minister resigned today. He was caught on TV selling heroin.

Minister resigns

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Minister of State for Minority Welfare Mehboob Ali resigned from the Cabinet in the wake of a news channel showing him admitting running a drug peddling racket in a sting operation.
Posted by: john   2006-02-19 07:35  

#2  Italian minister gets fired(forced to resign, whatever) over Cartoon T-shirt. Is this contract dude to get away with nothing?

I-slam image sure skyrocket from this asymmetry!
Posted by: Duh!   2006-02-19 04:31  

#1  Indian minister announces Rs 510m for cartoonistÂ’s death

Rs 510m = $1.98 ?
Posted by: Almost Anonymous5839   2006-02-19 00:38  

00:00