Muhammad cartoons to be shown on TV, says Netherlands MP Geert Wilders

The Hague: In what is apparently a risk-laden claim, Dutch MP Geert Wilders known for his anti-Islam rhetoric, has vowed that he will show Prohet Muhammad cartoon on national television.

Wilders reasoned that the showcasing of cartoons on TV was aimed to make the terrorists realize that they will never win and “how important freedom of speech is for us in the Netherlands."

Wilder's announcement comes just a month after he survived a shooting attack at an event in Texas (Muhammad cartoon and caricature contest) where he had given an anti-Islam speech.

The attack was claimed by the Islamic State and the two shooters were killed by the police.

Freedom Party (PVV) leader Geert Wilders had earlier requested to exhibit the cartoons in the Dutch Parliament, however his request was rejected.

Expressing his disappointment over the rejection, Wilders said, “The only way to show jihadis that we will never bow for terror and violence is to do exactly that which they try to prevent us to do. Consequently, it would have been appropriate if the Dutch parliament would have permitted to exhibit the cartoons in question”

“Since the Bureau of the board of the Chamber has rejected my request, I will soon show some of the cartoons on national television, during the broadcast slot allowed to my political party,” said Wilders.

Muhammed-cartoons on national television http://t.co/yhLqw3yYfB pic.twitter.com/h7h1uQH4rx — Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) June 3, 2015

Wilders, who founded the Party for Freedom (PVV) in 2006, is known for being very vocal in expressing his expressed his dislike for Islam and mass immigration and has called for the Koran to be banned in the Netherlands, says the BBC.

Depicting Prophet Muhammad in any form is considered blasphemous by many Muslims.

One of the first Muhammad cartoons controversy erupted in 2006 when the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten printed Prophet caricatures, triggering widespread protests.

Recently, last month in Texas, American Freedom Defense Initiative had organized a Muhammad cartoon contest which was attacked by two gunmen, who killed a security guard.

In January, 12 people were killed after Kouachi brothers said to be trained by the al Qaeda stormed the office of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo which had published Muhammad cartoons.

Also, in Feb this year, there was an attack at a free speech event in Copenhagen which was attended by Swedist cartoonist Lars Vilks, who is known to have drawn controversial caricatures of Prophet Muhammad in past.