On Tuesday Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, a senior BJP leader, slammed the former chairman of UP Shia Waqf Board Waseem Rizvi for approaching the Supreme Court seeking removal of some verses of Quran. Hussain said that his party is firmly against those who insult any religious texts.

Hussain, the national spokesperson of the BJP, said that Rizvi should not vitiate the atmosphere of the country by indulging in such an act.

“I strongly object and condemn Wasim Rizvi’s petition seeking removal of 26 verses from Quran. It is my party’s stand that saying absurd things about any religious texts, including Quran, is a highly condemnable act,” Hussain said. He added that BJP is firmly against those who insult any religious texts.

Rizvi has moved the Supreme Court seeking the removal of 26 verses from Quran, claiming that they promote violence.

“The BJP is not in favour of any changes to any verses of Quran or any other religious texts,” the BJP spokesperson said.

The BJP does not approve of Rizvi’s views as it hurts the sentiments of the people, Hussain said. “Wasim Rizvi does not have any right to hurt religious sentiments of the people,” he added.

On Monday, National Commission for Minorities had slammed Waseem Rizvi for his statement calling for the removal of certain verses from the Quran, asking him to withdraw his comments and tender an unconditional apology.

NCM issued a notice to Rizvi on the directions of NCM Vice Chairman Atif Rasheed and said that his remarks were “highly provocative, objectionable and malicious, prejudicial to maintenance of peace and harmony, with intent to outrage the religious feelings of a particular community and to insult the particular religion”.

The NCM’s notice came over complaints received from Abdul Majid Nizami, Ali Raza Zaidi, Mohd Faizan Chaudhary and Maulana Syed Nazar Abbas.

Members of the Muslim community have also protested in Lucknow against Rizvi, who has moved the Supreme Court seeking the removal of 26 verses from the Quran.