Widespread protests
The eruption of violence in several parts of the country over denigrating remarks against the Prophet is unfortunate. While the aggrieved minority community has every right to protest peacefully, their leaders have to exercise caution and not allow it to morph into violence. Meanwhile, the BJP-led government needs to understand that India’s image as a secular and liberal democracy has taken a beating in the eyes of the international community. Rather than play to the gallery of communal elements, it is time the BJP’s central leadership sends out a stern warning against certain elements and reins them in. Dialling down communal tensions is the need of hour.
M. Jeyaram,
