MEERUT: There is no end to the troubles of self-professed Hindu Mahasabha chief Kamlesh Tiwari , who courted controversy with his statement against the Prophet Mohammed , as close to one lakh Muslims gathered in communally sensitive Muzaffarnagar to protest against him. The protestors demanded the death penalty for Tiwari and asked for a stricter law against hate speech.

“Kamlesh Tiwari has offended Muslims across India and he needs to be punished. We cannot hear any such words against our Prophet. The sentiments of Muslims should be respected. We demand that action be taken against Tiwari at the earliest. This kind of venom cannot be allowed to spread in society,” said Haji Ehsaan, a leader of the Ittehad-e-Mliiat, a Muzaffarnagar-based Islamic organization. The organization printed pamphlets, inviting people to gather at the city’s Shiv Chowk to protest against Tiwari’s remarks. Close to a lakh people gathered at the spot.

Javed Ansari, Samajwadi Party’s media convener for Muzaffarnagar, said, “Our demand is two-fold. Firstly, we want nothing less than the death penalty for Kamlesh Tiwari. Anyone who insults our Prophet in such a manner deserves nothing else. He should be hanged unto death. The second demand is that we want a stricter law against such instances of hate-speeches. Nobody from any community, whether Hindu or Muslim, should be allowed to pass such comments. We want that people’s sentiments should be respected. Those who spread such hatred and animosity should be punished.”

Muzaffarnagar’s city magistrate Ravinder Singh, who was at the spot to observe the situation, said, “We have ensured heavy police deployment in the area to ensure that we are able to deal with the situation if any communal tension leads to violence. However, all the protestors were peaceful. They registered their protest in a lawful manner and we are not against that.”