Muslim clerics rise to seer's defence, want him freed

November 16, 2004

Tuesday November 16 2004 14:52 IST

IANS

NEW DELHI: Condemning the arrest of Hindu pontiff Shankaracharya

Jayendra Saraswathi, various Muslim clerics on Monday came out in

his support, demanding his immediate release and dropping of all

charges against him.

Imam Bukhari, the chief cleric of India's largest mosque Jama

Masjid, was among prominent Muslim religious leaders who strongly

condemned the arrest of the pontiff and his treatment in jail.

Jayendra Saraswathi, head of the Kancheepuram Mutt (monastic order)

in Tamil Nadu, was arrested on Thursday, for his alleged involvement

in the murder of Sankara Raman, a manager of the Varadaraja Perumal

temple in the same town.

In their statement, Muslim leaders said putting a "senior religious

leader" of this stature with other criminals in jail was "highly

deplorable".

They referred to reports that he was not being provided his

traditional food.

"His age (70) factor has not been taken into account. Such treatment

is not even given to hardened criminals. The Shankaracharya is a

global leader," the statement said.

They joined in demanding the immediate release and withdrawal of all

cases against the pontiff.

Those who signed the statement include Kwaja Ahmad Nizami of the

Nizamuddin shrine, Mufti Mukkaram of the Fatehpuri mosque, Aulama

Tausif Nizamudin of Bareilly, Sufi Ghulam Kibariya of Ajmer and

Gemani of Deoband.

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