Magic Statistics

This is getting serious.  A mob of Hindu fanatics attacked the staff and ransacked the offices of Star News in Mumbai because the news outlet covered the story of the Muslim man and Hindu woman who eloped to the city to get married.  The gang of about 50 claimed Star News was promoting inter-religious marriages, even though the man had converted to Hinduism before the wedding.

The photo at right shows a scene at the Star News office earlier today.

Executive editor Chandramohan Puppala suffered minor injuries when he attempted to pacify the protesters. The group caused property damage and smashed over 40 cars.

At least 18 persons were arrested and 10 hammers recovered from the spot, the police said. The protesters, who came in tempos, entered the office premises at Mahalaxmi in Central Mumbai, one by one under the guise of visitors. Armed with hammers and iron rods, they smashed cars. Shouting slogans against Star News, they then entered the reception area and broke several glass panes. The protesters also attempted to enter the newsroom and server areas on the ground floor, which were under renovation. At least one security guard was injured.
. . .
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil, who visited the office, promised strict action against the offenders. "I strongly condemn the attack. Attacks on the media will not be tolerated by this government. The police have already arrested 18 persons. We have also traced their vehicles, and we will arrest the rest by tomorrow [Tuesday]. "

The rioters, who belong to a little-known radical group called Hindu Rashtra Senam, damaged broadcast equipment, office furniture, and at least 40 vehicles parked on the street and in the building's underground parking lot.

Star News was the first news organisation to publicise the case of the couple who had arrived in Mumbai under threat from the woman's family, Hindu radicals, and the Bhopal police.

Previous related posts:

• You can’t expel me: I quit!
• Hindu militants block roads to protest Hindu-Muslim marriage

A prison chaplain in Rockland County, New York, has been suspended for distributing religious tracts condemning Islam and Mohammed.  Muslim inmates were offended.

Teresa Darden Clapp, an ordained Christian minister and a chaplain at the jail since 1994, was suspended with pay on Thursday pending the outcome of an investigation to determine possible disciplinary action, the jail's chief, William Clark, told The Journal News in Friday editions.

The booklets characterize Muslims as worshipping an "idol" and devil called Allah, and portray the prophet Muhammad as a criminal and a "religious dictator." Allah is the Arabic word for God, and Muslims believe they worship the same God as Christians and Jews.

Some Muslims may believe that; whether it's true is another matter entirely .

In the cartoon panel stories, a tract titled "Men of Peace?" says Islamic fundamentalists who commit terrorist acts are not "bad Muslims" but "very good Muslims" who act in accordance with their religion. Another tract, titled "Allah Has No Son," says Allah is not God, Muhammad was no prophet and the Quran is not the word of God.

The booklets were produced by Chick Publications, a fanatically fundamentalist publisher of Christian tracts and literature.  Jack Chick is notorious for his blunt, crude, no-holds-barred presentation of the Gospel.  Chick tracts can be highly offensive indeed, but plainly Mr Chick doesn’t care.  His work would far be from my first choice for evangelistic literature, but, as Adrian Morgan of Western Resistance points out, the Qur'an is arguably even more odious.

The material on Jack Chick's website is not apologetic about the author's approach to Islam, but it is certainly no more offensive than references in the Koran and Hadiths to non-Muslims, or "kuffar". The Koran, 9:5, states: "Fight and kill the disbelievers wherever you find them, take them captive, harass them, lie in wait and ambush them using every stratagem of war." 9:29 states: "Fight those who do not believe until they all surrender, paying the protective tax in submission." 8:39 states: "Fight them until all opposition ends and all submit to Allah."

Jack Chick may call the so-called "prophet" of Islam a "religious dictator", but this is arguably true. And nowhere does Jack Chick argue for the killing of unbelievers, which the Koran explicitly condones.

More on Jack Chick's view of Islam here.

Mr Clark says that, in future, any literature to be handed out to inmates will be examined by a jail captain.  The new policy should start with the Qur'an.

Previous related posts:

• Hatred and tolerance cut Muslims off from Christ
• Canadian Muslims want laws against insults
• United Church of Canada embraces abject dhimmitude

UPDATE (18 Apr.): Inevitably, a Muslim group wants Ms Clapp fired.  They also object to her being paid while on suspension.