Reader JB sent us an interesting email on Charlie J's recent post about an Indian politican who has made some rather crass comments about the Danish cartoonists.
Charles wrote:
The leader of an Indian Religion of Peace™ political organization has offered “half his properties” to anyone who hacks off the head of a Danish cartoonist: Verma backs bounty for Danish cartoonist.
JB notes the following:
There are major issues with the notion that a "leader" of a "Religion of Peace™ political organization" was behind this.
-Verma doesn't seem to be a leader of his party, just one of hundreds
of MPs in the lower house.
http://www.samajwadipartymumbai.org/leaders.php
http://www.samajwadipartymumbai.org/loksabha/beni_prasad_verma.htm
-As far as I can tell the Samajwadi Party is predominantly Hindu. Its
politics are socialist; I find nothing to suggest a bent toward Muslim
dogma (e.g. advocating Sharia). Wiki says the party finds support in
the "OBC's (Other Backward Castes) and Muslims, particulary [the] Yadav
caste" again suggesting a Muslim minority.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samajwadi_Party
Verma's Kaiserganj constituency is only 23% Muslim.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/616881.cms
Verma himself is of the Kurmi caste, though he seems to need the Muslim
vote to keep his seat, which has been hotly contested in recent years.
http://telegraphindia.com/1040320/asp/nation/story_3026773.asp
My admittedly cursory read on this is that Verma is a very minor Hindu
politician barely hanging on to a diverse constituency. He made an
outrageous statement to enjoy the publicity and the appearance of
support for the Muslim minority within his little district.
In sum, an MP belonging to a Hindu party appears responsible for this
latest outrage. At best, Johnson jumped to a conclusion.
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