Coimbatore car blast: Jamaat condemns; meets temple authorities

Coimbatore: The Coimbatore Jamaath said on Thursday that it strongly condemns the car explosion that happened before a temple here and added that no one could disturb the Hindu-Muslim unity.

A jamaat team of 13, including 'Ulemas' (Muslim scholars), visited the Kottai Eswaran temple and spoke to the temple authorities for nearly an hour. Head priest, Sundareshan and temple secretary Prabhakaran welcomed the members with shawls.

The effort to strengthen communal harmony in the region happened days after a cylinder exploded inside a car in the communally sensitive Ukkadam area, leaving a person dead. The incident had sent shock across the states, and reverberations reached the whole country.

The case is being handled by the National Investigation Agency, while the state BJP claimed that the person who died in the blast was an ISIS sympathizer.

After the Jamaath's meeting with the temple authorities, Jamaat President, Inayatullah said Islam never supported violence and favoured only peace. The meeting with priests and others will serve as a platform to maintain communal harmony and peace among all sections of the citizens, irrespective of religion, caste and creed, he said, adding the Jamaat wanted Coimbatore to be known for communal harmony. The members of the Jamaat laid emphasis on peace and brotherhood and said no power on earth could break the Hindu-Muslim bond, Inayatullah said.

Jamaat urged leaders not to use religion to derive political mileage.