New Delhi: The National Commission for Minorities on Monday slammed former Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board chairman Wasim Rizvi for his statement calling for the removal of certain verses from the Quran, asking him to withdraw his comments and tender an unconditional apology.The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) issued a notice to Rizvi on the directions of NCM Vice Chairman Atif Rasheed and said his remarks were “highly provocative, objectionable and malicious, prejudicial to maintenance of peace and harmony, with intent to outrage the religious feelings of a particular community and to insult the particular religion”.The NCM’s notice came over complaints received from Abdul Majid Nizami, Ali Raza Zaidi, Mohd Faizan Chaudhary and Maulana Syed Nazar Abbas.Members of the Muslim community have also protested in Lucknow against Rizvi, who has moved the Supreme Court seeking the removal of 26 verses from the Quran.“The NCM, being a statutory body created to protect and safeguard the interests of the minorities, strongly condemns the statement given by you,” the notice to Rizvi said.“The NCM directs you to withdraw your comments and tender an unconditional apology within 21 days, failing which the Commission will be constrained to hold a hearing under Section 9 of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992 and direct appropriate authorities to take legal action as deemed fit,” it said.
