Branding Posts and Telecommunications Minister Abdul Latif Siddique as an atheist and apostate, Jatiya Party chairman HM Ershad on Wednesday demand that the minister be hung for his anti-Islamic comments.
“The person who insults the greatest Prophet (Pbuh) can’t remain a Muslim. He (Latif) has become an apostate. He must be arrested on his return home. We want his punishment by hanging,” he said.
Ershad, also an especial envoy to the Prime Minister, came up with the remarks while addressing a demonstration programme arranged by Jatiya Party in front of its Kakrail office protesting the minister’s offensive comments against the holy hajj and Tablig Jamaat.
He also demanded Latif Siddique be removed not only from the cabinet but also from the parliament and party. “We’re in parliament. We can’t sit there with a black sheep like him.”
Ershad, a former president, said the minister also disowned Bangabandhu and Sheikh Hasina by his disparaging remarks against hajj and Tablig.
Pointing at the PM, he said, “You’ve performed hajj several times. Bangabandhu had given Tablig Jamaat the place (Ijtema ground). How come this man (Latif) belongs to your party?”
The former military ruler also criticised BNP for not taking any action programme to protest the minister’s anti-Islamic comments.
The Jatiya Party chief said the country’s image is being dented in the Muslim world only because of a black sheep. “We must resist this bad element by putting up a strong resistance through a jihad. We’ve taken to the streets as we’re a pro-people party. We’re a party having a strong belief in Islamic values.”
Source: UNB