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By Krittivas Mukherjee
http://in.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-
MUMBAI (Reuters) - A powerful organisation of Indian Islamic clerics
promised on Monday to help Christian groups launch protests if the
authorities did not ban the screening of the controversial film, "The Da
Vinci Code".
Protest in India against the film have so far been low key, but several
Catholic groups have threatened to stage street demonstrations and even to
shut down cinema halls screening it.
Now, powerful Islamic clerics have joined issue with Christians, saying "The
Da Vinci Code" is blasphemous as it spreads lies about Jesus Christ.
"The Holy Koran recognises Jesus as a prophet. What the book says is an
insult to both Christians and Muslims," Maulana Mansoor Ali Khan, general
secretary of the All-India Sunni Jamiyat-ul-Ulema, an umbrella organisation
of clerics, told Reuters.
"Muslims in India will help their Christian brothers protest this attack on
our common religious belief."
"The Da Vinci code" is an adaptation of author Dan Brown's bestseller by the
same name that suggests that Jesus married his female disciple Mary
Magdalene and had a child with her. The film is slated for release worldwide
at the end of this week.
The Vatican condemns the book and the film, and has asked Christians
worldwide to boycott "The Da Vinci Code".
In India, leaders of the two communities met politicians and police in
Mumbai on Saturday, urging the authorities to stop the screening of the
film.
"If the government doesn't do anything, we will try our own ways of stopping
the film from being shown," said Syed Noori, president of Mumbai-based Raza
Academy, a Muslim cultural organisation that often organises protests on
issues concerning Islam. "We are prepared for violent protests in India if
needed."
Several Indian Christian groups have said they would protest against the
film, with one little known Catholic organisation even calling on Christians
to begin a fast until death.
Last week, small groups of protesters marched in Mumbai and burned a copy of
the book.
"We will picket in front of cinema halls that show the film. We are very
hurt and very angry," said Dolphy D'Souza, spokesman of Bombay Catholic
Sabha, which has 40,000 registered members.
Christians form about one percent of Hindu-majority India's 1.3-billion
population, while Muslims make up around 13 percent.
Forwarded By Edward Verdes
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