New Delhi: The US is dismayed to see reports
of a school and a church in Kashmir and Punjab having been
attacked by rioters following news of a misguided individual
desecrating the Quran, an act strongly condemned by Americam,
US Ambassador to India Timothy J Roemer said on Monday.
Terming the act of tearing pages of Quran on September 11
in the US as "disrespectful, intolerant, divisive, and
unrepresentative of American values", Roemer said "the
deliberate destruction of any holy book is an abhorrent act."
"News reports have stated that on Saturday, September
11, one misguided individual in the United States desecrated
the Holy Quran by tearing pages from it.......The acts of this
one individual are not representative of America and American
values. These acts are well outside of the American mainstream
and offend millions, including myself," the envoy said.
"We are also dismayed to see reports that a school and a
church in Kashmir and Punjab have been attacked and destroyed
by rioters. We strongly support local authorities appeal for
calm and an end to the violence", Roemer said.
Noting that extremists in all countries seek to sow
hatred rather than propagate peaceful co-existence, Roemer,
while quoting US President Barack Obama, said "America and
Islam are not exclusive and need not be in competition.
"Instead, they overlap, and share common principles
principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity
of all human beings", he said and added that "one misguided
American tearing pages from the Holy Quran will not change
this -today, tomorrow, or ever."
He said Islam has its rightful and equal place at the
table in America along with all other religions and always
will have.
PTI
