In a worrisome incident, an event which was scheduled to honour archaeologist KK Muhammed was cancelled after Islamists threatened the organisers to cancel the event.
Reportedly, the Aligarh Muslim University Old Students Association, Kerala (AMUOSAK) has now dropped its plan to honour archaeologist and Padma Shri award winner KK Muhammed after some Muslim student organisations protested over Muhammed’s recent remarks that a Ram temple had existed at the site of the Babri Masjid.
The event to honour KK Muhammed was scheduled to be held on the occasion of Sir Syed Day celebration at Farook College, Kozhikode on Saturday. KK Muhammed, who is a former student of AMU was supposed to be honoured by AMUOSAK at the function to be inaugurated by governor Arif Mohammed Khan at the Farook College on October 19.
KK Muhammed was the former regional director of Archaeological Survey of India, who was part of the team of archaeologists which had carried out the first excavation at the site in 1976-77. The ASI team had stated that there was no doubt that a temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu existed below Babri Masjid.
Kerala governor Arif Mohammed Khan, who is also an AMU alumnus, was to present a memento to Muhammed at the function.
However, several Islamist organisations, including Muslim Students Federation (MSF), the student’s wing of the IUML and Sunni Students Federation (SSF), had protested against the decision as they alleged that Mohammed had distorted historical facts to help the Sangh Parivar and honouring him at the AMUOSAK function was improper.
Echoing the same sentiments of Islamists, many Left historians in the past had also criticized Muhammed for his remarks and some had even questioned his presence in the team which excavated the Babri Masjid site.
However, former Director-General (DG) of the Archaeological Survey of India BB Lal and three other former ASI team members, had recently stood in support of KK Muhammed, stating that Muhammed was part of the excavation team.
As protests and threats loom large on individuals like KK Muhammed, serious concerns are being expressed by citizens regarding the safety of these prominent individuals following the gruesome murder of Hindu Mahasabha leader Kamalesh Tiwari in Uttar Pradesh on Friday.
I think in run up to Ayodhya verdict, security cover should also be provided to KK Mohammad Sahab. He has been exposing truth about Ram Janmabhoomi and Islamists may try to harm him.
— Divya Kumar Soti (@DivyaSoti) October 19, 2019
He is already on target.Recently an event which was organised to honor him had to be cancelled due to pressure from Muslim Groups. It’s better to provide security cover to him @AmitShah @HMOIndia pic.twitter.com/HV81h0Z2PJ
— ?? Prabhat Yadav ?? (@prabhatkumar76) October 19, 2019
With Islamists continue to protest and threaten KK Muhammed for stating facts pertaining to the presence of temple remains under the controversial Babri Masjid site, there are serious demands being made to the government to provide security cover to KK Muhammed to avoid any unfortunate incidents at a time when Ayodhya verdict is set to be delivered.
