Amir-ul-Hassan Jafari, a Shia lawyer and ‘activist’, has announced Rs 11 lakh bounty for whoever beheads ex-UP Shia Board Chief Waseem Rizvi for his petition to remove 26 verses from Quran. Rizvi, in his petition, alleged that these verses promote terrorism and jihad. Since the reports came out about his petition, Rizvi has been facing backlash from the Muslim community.
In his statement, former president of Moradabad Bar Association, Amir-ul-Hassan Jafari, was addressing a program in Moradabad where he said that Rizvi is a demon. “He is not a Hindu or Muslim; he is a demon. I want to announce that whoever beheads him, I will give him Rs 11 lakh.”
Indian #Shia lawyer Amir-ul-Hassan Jafari: I’ll award Rs1.1 million ($USD 15000) to anyone who beheads Wasim Rizvi for filing a petition in the Supreme Court seeking to remove 26 verses of the Quran. pic.twitter.com/MkNNYAcBdn
— SAMRI (@SAMRIReports) March 15, 2021
When Jafari was confronted by the media about his statement, he repeated that he would award anyone who brings Waseem’s head. He further added that to pay the bounty, he will collect money from the bar association, and if he still could not collect the amount, he would sell his child. When he was further asked if beheading will solve all the problems, he said, “There is no less punishment for anyone who disrespects Quran Sharif.” He claimed that had it been Sharia Law in India, Rizvi would have been stoned to death by now.
A tsunami of death threats against Rizvi
Since Rizvi filed the petition, he has been attacked with death threats. On the day he filed the petition Hasnain Jaffrey Dumpy, the national president of the Islamic organisation – Shiane-Haider-e-Karrar Welfare Association, announced that he would give Rs 20,000 to anyone who brings Rizvi’s head.
An undated video emerged from Kashmir, where a group of people were demanding a death sentence for Rizvi. For some unknown reason, they also chanted slogans against America.
Kashmiri #Shia activists call for the execution of Wasim Rizvi for filing a petition in the Supreme Court seeking to remove 26 verses of the Quran. pic.twitter.com/3n1Yz4PN33
— SAMRI (@SAMRIReports) March 15, 2021
In Lucknow during Tahaffuz-e-Quran (a rally called to save Quran), Kalbe Sibtain Noori, son of senior cleric Maulana Kable Sadiq said that Rizvi’s own family called him a kafir, and he should not be buried in a Muslim cemetery. “Mutawwali of the Talkatora Imambara where he has reserved a grave for himself should take a decision to cancel his grave as a Muslim cemetery can only bury Muslims,” he added.
Maulana Fazley Mannan said during the same rally, “He is trying to create a rift between us but that has only brought us together as one Ummah, one book and one Prophet. We should hold on to Allah stronger than ever and the government should put him behind bars.”
Imam of Teeley Wali Masjid, Maulana Fazley Mannan said, “He is trying to create a rift between us but that has only brought us together as one Ummah, one book and one Prophet. We should hold on to Allah stronger than ever and the government should put him behind bars.”
As per some reports, some youth in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, demolished the grave Rizvi had reserved for himself in Talkatora Imambara.
Muslim youths demolish the grave, that Wasim Rizvi reserved for himself, in Talkatora Imambara, Lucknow.#Sunni and #Shia clerics have declared Rizvi an apostate and announced that he wouldn’t be buried in any Muslim graveyard.https://t.co/9Wu3sCoNkI pic.twitter.com/F8W3RpYdFb
— SAMRI (@SAMRIReports) March 15, 2021
In Banihal, Jammu and Kashmir, a group of Sunni Muslims burnt an effigy of Wasim Rizvi and demanded a death sentence for him.
Banihal, Indian-administered Jammu & Kashmir. #Sunni activists call for the execution of Wasim Rizvi for filing a petition in the Supreme Court seeking to remove 26 verses of the Quran. pic.twitter.com/IsHVFf3xB8
— SAMRI (@SAMRIReports) March 15, 2021
Rizvi disowned by his family
A video of his brother Zaheer Rizvi also emerged in which he claimed that Waseem Rizvi is longer associated with his family, and for the last three years, he had not visited him once. He even called him mad.
Following the writ to change the Quran, Waseem Rizvi’s brother has announced that his family was already estranged from Rizvi and they have now announced they have nothing to do with him! https://t.co/pyaZZwqgc0 pic.twitter.com/Ulthl3J5Oz
— Ali Khan Mahmudabad (@Mahmudabad) March 14, 2021
He said, “I have no information about what he said, why he said and who asked him to say that. Allah will keep Quran safe. No one should be worried as no verses will be ever removed from the Quran.”
