By TCN News,

New Delhi: Indian Muslim leaders have forcefully criticized Israeli President Shimon Peres remark that India’s relationship with Israel is cautious because of the large Muslim population in India.

Pere, in an interview with the Press Trust of India (PTI) has said that “while other Muslim countries have established ties with Israel, India is cautious in its ties with Israel due to its large Muslim population.”

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“We condemn, most forcefully and unreservedly, the Israeli President’s suggestion to the Indian government to disregard the Indian Muslim community in developing and strengthening relations with the Zionist state,” responded some of the prominent leaders of Indian Muslims in a joint statement issued today.

Statement was signed by Dr.Zafarul-Islam Khan, President, All India Muslim Majlis-e Mushawarat; Mujtaba Farooq, President, Welfare Party of India; Muhammad Ahmad, Political Secretary, Jamaat-e Islami Hind; Maulana Abdul Hameed Nomani, National Secretary, Jamiat Ulam-e Hind; Maulana Abdul Wahab Khilji, President, Islahi Movement of India; Dr Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, Member, Working Committee, Muslim Personal Law Board; Dr Taslim Rahmani, President, Muslim Political Council of India; Prof. M.H. Jawahirullah, MLA, Manithaneya Makkal Katchi; Mualana Ataur Rahman Qasmi, Chairman, Shah Waliullah Institute; Lateef Mohammad Khan, Gen Secretary, Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee, Hyderabad.

Muslim leaders criticized Shimon Peres who has been Prime Minister of Israel on many occasions on what they called “unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign and free state.” They also termed the statement “blatant disregard of the democratic principles which take public opinion into consideration while formulating national and international policies.”

Statement in return advised Israel to “make peace with its neighbours, give Palestinians their inalienable rights, return the occupied lands and stop its criminal siege of Gaza Strip and equally illegal settlements in the West Bank.”

Advice extended to Jewish settlers with Israeli President asked to advise “the Jewish settlers in occupied Palestine to return to their original homelands while those remaining in Palestine will have to live as loyal citizens of a free and democratic Palestine.”

