The Uttar Pradesh police is conducting raids to arrest Bahujan Samaj Party leader Haji Yakub Qureshi for declaring a prize of Rs 51 crore for the terrorists, who carried out the terror attack on French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo’s office in Paris.
The police action comes after Yakub Qureshi justified the Paris shootout and said people disrespecting Prophet Muhammad deserve death.
A case under section 505 1 (c) (with intent to incite, or likely to incite, any class or community of persons to commit any offence against any other class or community) of the IPC was registered against Qureshi last night in the Kotwali police station, SP Om Prakash said.
“The case was lodged on the complaint of Inspector Lal Singh and action will be taken after investigation,” he said.
Qureshi’s praise for attackers comes at a time when the entire world is condemning the deadly terror attack on the French satirical magazine.
Qureshi said the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo had been repeatedly mocking the religion which is why the attack was carried out.
The BSP leader, after the attack, praised the attackers and declared a prize of Rs. 51 crore for them. The politician had also courted controversy in 2006 when he shot to limelight after he announced a similar prize money for anyone who would kill the Danish cartoonist who drew a caricature mocking the Prophet.
This time too, Qureshi has announced to reward the Paris attackers with the same amount for attacking Charlie Hebdo’s office.
Parties across the political spectrum on Thursday criticised the BSP leader.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stated that Qureshi should be arrested and put behind bars.
Janata Dal (United) leader Ali Anwar said that his party disagrees with Qureshi’s statement.
