Saharanpur, October 30: Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband has slammed French President Emmanuel Macron for "insulting" Prophet Mohammed (also spelt as Muhammed). Maulana Mufti Abul Qasim Nomani of Darul Uloom Deoband also called on Islamic countries to take strict action against France. Anger is smearing within the Muslim world against France and Emmanuel Macron who had defended caricature of Prophet Mohammed. Charlie Hebdo's Republication of Cartoons of Prophet Muhammad A 'Provocation', is 'Absolutely Unacceptable', Says Iran.

"It is the responsibility of the Islamic countries and their rulers to form a strong strategy against France on this matter and this should be strongly raised on international forums as well. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the Arab League and other Muslim countries should raise their voice against the French government and lodge a protest at the diplomatic and commercial levels," Maulana Mufti Abul Qasim Nomani told News18. Emmanuel Macron Has Attacked Islam and Hurt Sentiments of Muslims: Pakistan PM Imran Khan Over Prophet's Cartoon Row in France.

Nomani said India is a great example of unity in diversity and all religions are respected in the country. French President Emmanuel Macron has made a couple of statements recently that are being seen as "bigoted" by a section of Muslims. After a French teacher was beheaded near Paris for showing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed to his students in a class on freedom of speech, Macron had said that the teacher "was killed because Islamists want our future."

Samuel Paty, a history teacher in the greater Paris area, was murdered earlier this month by 18-year-old Abdullakh Anzorov after Paty showed caricatures of Prophet Mohammed to his students. Reacting to the beheading, Macron had said that France "will not give up our cartoons". Caricatures of Mohammed are forbidden by Islam. In 2015, Islamist gunmen attacked the offices of Charlie Hebdo and killed most of the paper's editorial board for publishing caricatures of Prophet Mohammed.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 30, 2020 02:24 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).