Srinagar, 12-Jan: Taking a strong exception regarding telecast of his media-byte by a national media channel in response to an interview by RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, Grand Mufti Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam said he was uninformed about the facts and had even revoked his consent to telecast the statement on learning about the whole story.
On having come to know about the actual context of the statement of Mr. Bhagwat I contacted the said journalist and requested her NOT, I REPEAT NOT, to carrying any of my observation. She promised to do so, but I was pained to see that she had fed many agencies with my response, which to speak the least is worst example of professional misconduct and professional dishonesty. “I hereby clarify loud and clear that I do not accept or entertain the statement carried by the said journalist, which to me is in total disregard to professional ethics”, Islam said in a statement issued.
Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam said that he was approached by a TV reporter yesterday afternoon regarding an interview by Rashtriya Swayam Sangh Chief Mohan Bhagwat. “The reporter narrated that the RSS Chief has said that Muslims have nothing to fear in India, to which I welcomed wholeheartedly and appreciated the narrative”, Islam said.
“However what I learned later was that the RSS Chief has also added something as …Muslims must abandon their “boisterous rhetoric of supremacy” and that Hindu society has been at war for over 1,000 years – this fight has been going on against foreign aggressions, foreign influences and foreign conspiracies and few other things”, Islam says adding he was ignorant of the context Bhagwat was talking about.
“I want to clear it that my statement was in limited sense for I was uninformed about the facts”, Islam said adding “Once I learned about the whole story, I straightaway called the reporter and asked her not to televise the media byte as it could create confusion.”
“To my utter anguish, the media byte was televised and it already has been blown out of proportion by the media houses and social circles alike”, Islam said.
“I wonder how a professional media person can act like this, which can possibly have many ramifications on the personality of anyone in general and on a particular religion in particular”, he said.
“I take this moment to reiterate my stance that I in no way subscribe to any such view by anyone that intends to disparage the dignity and honour of Muslims anywhere”, Islam further said.
