Editorial
Violence in the name of religion is reprehensible
Let peace and rationality prevail
WE have witnessed to our utter dismay, two successive days of clashes between activists of Khelafat Majlish and Islami Shashantantra Andolon on the one side and the law enforcers on the other near the National Mosque during emergency centring around demonstrations by the former against the Women Development Policy. In the fallout many people on both sides have been injured and hospitalised, something that should have been avoidable in the first place. It created a law and order situation at a time when the country is grappling with food crisis and looking ahead to the national elections due by December.
Ever since murmurs of protests were heard, the government engaged the ulema in a meeting clarifying that the Women Development Policy did not contain anything repugnant to Islamic principles. Then assurances followed from various levels of the government including the chief adviser and law adviser reiterating the same position. Furthermore, as a concrete step to remove any misgiving about the Women Development Policy, the government has formed a committee to go into the whole question. Without waiting for the recommendations of the committee, the Islamist parties fell into an aggressive mode. The fact that the detractors are not prepared to be assuaged by the assurances of the government is a proof that they are out to make an issue when there is none.
Islam, after all, stands for peace; any violence in the name of religion is, therefore, reprehensible. Let's not forget, our religion clearly encourages deliberation and logical discourse as a way of resolving any issue or problem.
The whole interest of the country now revolves around the task of achieving the goal for free, fair and credible elections in the country by the year end. Any distraction is hardly desirable now. The rising prices in the international market place and the national arena are a direct challenge to the maintenance of minimum living standards. Let's get our act together to meet the exigencies of the contemporary scenario.
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