Hindus in Pakistan protest sale of Om-inscribed shoes

Kshatriya87

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  • Agencies
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  • Updated: Jun 20, 2016 12:34 IST

Hindus in Pakistan’s Sindh province are protesting the sale of shoes inscribed with sacred religious symbol ‘Om’ and described the actions of shopkeepers selling them as “unfortunate” and “blasphemous”. (Facebook)
  • Hindus in Pakistan’s Sindh province are protesting the sale of shoes inscribed with sacred religious symbol ‘Om’ and described the actions of shopkeepers selling them as “unfortunate” and “blasphemous”.

    The patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC), Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, said that they have lodged protests with the Sindh government and local authorities in Tando Adam Khan after the sale of such shoes was brought to the notice of his community.

    “Since the last three years on the occasion of Muslim Eid festival, some shopkeepers in Tando Adam are offering shoes on which Hindu religious holy name ‘Om’ is displayed. Its purpose is just to insult the sentiments of local Hindus,” Vankwani said on Sunday.

    He added the sale of such shoes was an insult to the Hindus in Pakistan as it is blasphemous to use the sacred word ‘Om’ on shoes.

    “The pictures of these shoes have been circulated on the social media by concerned members of the Hindu community and we demand they be removed from the shops immediately,” Vankwani said.

    Pakistan Hindu Seva, a group working for religious harmony in Pakistan, alleged that Zeb Shoes, owned by Farman Ahmed in Tando Jam, is selling the sandals and must be barred from doing so as it is “hurting the sentiments” of the community and “spreading hatred”.

    It also urged the locals of Tando Adam to address the issue by remaining “within the jurisdiction of law to avoid any violence”.

    “As ‘Om’ is the sacred religious symbol of Hinduism which talks about the oneness of God, let’s protect this oneness peacefully for the progressive and positive face of Pakistan. Let’s appeal the authorities concerned to take notice of the matter immediately to override any expected mistrust within the locals,” a statement released by the group said.

    Local Sindhi newspapers have also reported that similar shoes are being sold in some other places of Sindh.

    Earlier this month, a Hindu man over 80 years was brutally assaulted by a police constable for selling food before iftar, the evening meal with which Muslims end their daily Ramadan fast at sunset in the remote village of Hayat Pitafi in Sindh’s Ghotki district.

    Reports say there are around eight million Hindus in the country with a population of 180 million people. Most of the Pakistani Hindus reside in the southern province of Sindh.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...ribed-shoes/story-8ZAR9bsQiumk2bS9JbSnpJ.html
 

Screambowl

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why Pakistani hindus.. what about the Hindus in India? hum sab Chu*iye hai ... it is our duty also to protest!

I am going to start against this on twitter.
 

Bharat Ek Khoj

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Since the last three years on the occasion of Muslim Eid festival, some shopkeepers in Tando Adam are offering shoes on which Hindu religious holy name ‘Om’ is displayed.
I see this two way :
If I don't consider this as an insult, they are making AUM part of their Eid, or
If I consider as insult, they are doing during EID.
 

Neo

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This is preposterous indeed. We must look into it, the designer, the manufacturer and the vendor...all.must be tried under the blasphemy law.
 

ezsasa

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This is preposterous indeed. We must look into it, the designer, the manufacturer and the vendor...all.must be tried under the blasphemy law.
@Neo keep us posted on this issue.

Would like to see how this progresses..

Btw does this Ramesh kumar have any say in minority issues?

If I remember this Ramesh kumar is the same guy who got the flight delayed and there was video about that incident.
 

Neo

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@Neo keep us posted on this issue.

Would like to see how this progresses..

Btw does this Ramesh kumar have any say in minority issues?

If I remember this Ramesh kumar is the same guy who got the flight delayed and there was video about that incident.
You can follow the condemnation by Pakistanis on the social media, no one is happy about it. Majority thinks that either the mullahs are behind it or the rogue elements (domestic and foreign) who want to trigger sectarian violence during the Ramadan and Eid.

Yes, it's the same guy who delayed the PIA flight last year.
 

Neo

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During past two years there's been an increased activity of celebrating Hindu festivals such as Holi and Diwali in major cities which is bringing Hindus and Muslims closer. Muslims in Karachi formed a human chain around a chruch and a Mandir last year to protect Christians and Hindus celebrating their festivals.

The hardcore mullahs are not pleased with these development and I wouldn't be surprised if there's some mullah behind it.
But I would like to know where the shoes are manufactured. Is it locally built or imported. Who designed it and who is marketing it.
 

Neo

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Shopkeeper charged with blasphemy over selling shoes with Hindu symbol

By Reuters
Published: June 20, 2016


Picture shows the sandal which is being sold at shops in Tando Adam inscribed with Hindu sacred word "OM". PHOTO: PAKISTAN HINDU COUNCIL

ISLAMABAD: Sindh Police arrested a man under blasphemy laws on Monday for selling shoes with a sacred Hindu symbol, police and Hindu leaders said.

The shopkeeper, Jahanzaib Khaskhili, was arrested in Sindh’s Tando Adam district and the shoes, which carried the “Om” symbol, were confiscated, said Farrukh Ali, the district police chief.

Hindu community leaders called for the shopkeeper to be punished. “The state must play a proactive role in punishing the culprits under the blasphemy laws,” Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, the patron of the Pakistani Hindu Council, said in a statement.

Hindus object selling of shoes inscribed with ‘Om’ in Tando Adam

Tando Adam, about 200km northeast of Karachi, is in Sindh, where the vast majority of the country’s approximately three million Hindus live.

The blasphemy laws make it a crime to insult any religion and have specific sections for defiling the Quran or insulting the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) that carry a life sentence and mandatory death sentence, respectively.

If convicted, the shopkeeper faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, in addition to a possible fine. Ali, the police chief, said Khaskhili had cooperated with authorities and appeared not to have intended to inflame religious sentiment.

“We will do this according to law, but prima facie it seems that he did not have any intention,” said Ali, adding that police were now investigating the supplier of the shoes, who is based in Punjab province.

Removal of hate material against minorities from curriculum stressed

“The responsibility in this case will be with the people who actually manufactured the shoes … they would probably have done it intentionally,” he said.

Rights groups say Hindus are often at risk of discrimination and hate crimes, including forced conversions and economic discrimination.

Vankwani had on Sunday raised concerns over some shopkeepers offering shoes with sacred Hindu names in Sindh. “Since the last three years on the occasion of Muslim Eid festival, some shopkeepers in Tando Adam are offering shoes on which Hindu religious holy name ‘Om’ is displayed,” he said, adding “Its purpose is just to insult the sentiments of local Hindus.”

Pakistan Hindu Seva, a group working for religious harmony in the country, had also urged the locals of Tando Adam to address the issue by remaining “within the jurisdiction of law to avoid any violence”.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/1126404/shopkeeper-charged-blasphemy-selling-shoes-hindu-symbol/

@ezsasa
 

rock127

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Just consider if someone had made a cartoon of Allah(or Allah insribed on shoe) then all the hell would have been broke loose and dozens of Kafir would have been hacked to death or burnt alive even before it was proved or taken to court.

But here Hindus chose to protest only and proving that they want a peaceful solution as per law, this is a right way.Hindus SHOULD stay calm as usual and dont get intimidated in the hands of some Mulla Terrorists.

In West also some ignorant Westerner made underwear of Om/Hindu Gods and Hindus did a peaceful protest and those products were taken off shelf.
 

Screambowl

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we Hindus are Napunsak .................................................. this is what Mullahs think. Beta javab to denge lekin Border par.
 

Kshatriya87

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This is preposterous indeed. We must look into it, the designer, the manufacturer and the vendor...all.must be tried under the blasphemy law.
The fact that this has been happening since last 3 years like clockwork (during the same time) is very appalling.
 

pmaitra

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This is preposterous indeed. We must look into it, the designer, the manufacturer and the vendor...all.must be tried under the blasphemy law.
I am not in favour of the head-chopping Wahhabi punishment. Such things belong in the medieval ages.

Said that, these shoes are offensive. Pakistani government should ban their sale and the manufacturer should do the right thing and apologize.
 

Neo

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I am not in favour of the head-chopping Wahhabi punishment. Such things belong in the medieval ages.
Me neither, but why should only non Muslims get this punishment for blasphemy? The mob can beat a Christian to death for burning the Quran and get away with it. Imho this case should become an example of equal rights.

Said that, these shoes are offensive. Pakistani government should ban their sale and the manufacturer should do the right thing and apologize.
The stock is confiscated and they are looking for the manufacturer.
 

SANITY

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why should only non Muslims get this punishment for blasphemy? The mob can beat a Christian to death for burning the Quran and get away with it. Imho this case should become an example of equal rights.

Blasphemy laws do not belong to this century and needs to be erased. Although, such a law is unlikely to be introduced for punishing muslims, even if introduced; would seem equal standard but extremely stupid and unfair which will only take the society even more backward.

The stock is confiscated and they are looking for the manufacturer.
Good.
 

Neo

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Blasphemy laws do not belong to this century and needs to be erased. Although, such a law is unlikely to be introduced for punishing muslims, even if introduced; would seem equal standard but extremely stupid and unfair which will only take the society even more backward.

Good.
Most liberals in Pakistan including me are against the sharia law but it was imposed on us without a democratic voting or referendum.

The blasphemy laws make it a crime to insult ANY religion and have specific sections for defiling the Quran or insulting the ProphetMuhammad (pbuh) that carry a life sentence and mandatory death sentence, respectively.
 

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