New Delhi: Saudi Arabian Ambassador to India Faisal-al-Trad on Saturday staged a walk at an international conference of jurists here after former former Union Minister Ram Jethmalani accused the Wahabi sect of being responsible for terrorism.
Trad left the conference hall after Jethmalani made some remarks at the inaugural function when he said "unfortunately in the 17th century, they produced an evil man in Saudi Arabia by the name of Wahab, who was concerned about the decline of Muslim world but he hit upon a wrong remedy".
The Ambassador returned to the conference after Union Law Minister Veerappa Moily made it clear that Jethmalani's remarks were personal and not that of the government.
Jethmalani alleged that "Wahabi terrorism" indoctrinated "rubbish" in the minds of young people to carry out terrorist attacks. He lamented that India had friendly relations with a country that supported Wahabi terrorism.
Moily, in his address, said that terrorism cannot be attributed to any particular religion.
Jethmalani said there have been Hindu terrorists and Buddhist terrorists and it was unfortunate that the terrorist that the world was talking about was mainly Muslim.
"But let me make it clear that I am a student of all religions including Islam. I have the highest respect for the prophet of Islam, he was a man of peace."
Terming Non-Aligned Movement and Panchsheel as evil, the former union minister said India should align with forces of good to combat the forces of evil. "India and its foreign ministers must learn to reassess the doctrines of past."
He said India's foreign policy establishment should be courageous to shun country's relationships with its "enemies".
Referring to Jethmalani's comments, Justice Awn S Al-Khasawneh, a judge of the International Court of Justice, asked him not "to make sweeping statements."
- PTI
First Published: Sunday, November 22, 2009, 00:01