It is so unfortunate that the Holy Quran revered by billions of Muslims the world over is being desecrated at will under state patronage.
What else is state patronage when a particular country’s security personnel stand guard while the abhorrent act is being committed. Despite strong protests by the Muslim world, the desecration continues. The latest act was committed by an extreme-right group called Danske Patrioter in Copenhagen. A video was posted on social media in which a man is seen desecrating and burning what appeared to be the Holy Quran.
Several incidents of burning and desecration of the Holy Quran have taken place in Sweden and Denmark, and both these countries say that the acts were committed within the framework of freedom of speech laws. The Muslim world is furious no doubt and several countries have summoned the envoys of Sweden and Denmark to lodge strong protests against these despicable acts being committed under the so-called freedom of speech. Sweden, Denmark or for that matter any country where holy scriptures are humiliated cannot be called nations where civilised societies dwell.
How can the governments of both these countries shield themselves behind their freedom of speech laws? If ridiculing a religion or its scripture falls under the purview of their so-called free of expression laws then they should better redefine them. This is no freedom of speech where over a billion people throughout the world get offended.
This is utter hatred towards a religion. This shows how much venom is directed at Islam. The society as a whole has disintegrated otherwise there must certainly have been protests against the desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden and Denmark as well.
These countries will have to reconsider, redefine and re-legislate their laws if they say that the laws are a hindrance to them. Sweden and Denmark should realise that their standing among the comity of Muslim nations is falling. Infact they are putting their citizens at risk. Recently, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said the demonstrative burnings have increased the risks for Sweden.
He was stated to have said that according to the Swedish Security Service, they had gone from being what is called a legitimate target for terror attacks, to being a prioritised target. As many as 15 government agencies, including Sweden’s armed forces and other law enforcement agencies, have been tasked with “intensifying their work” under the leadership of the security service. Even Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom tried to distance the state from these acts of desecration.
Saudi Arabia and Iraq have called for an extraordinary meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to take up the desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden and Denmark. The Muslim world needs to raise the issue with the United Nations as such acts cannot continue any longer. A message needs to sent out that any act that is committed against religious scriptures or a religion by an individual or a group should not be tolerated by the host country and should be bound to stop it. Otherwise diplomatic relations with such nations should be given a second thought.