Writings of Taslima, Rushdie are trash: Qureshi

Hyderabad, Aug 13 (UNI) Dismissing as ''trash'' the views expressed by controversial writers Taslima Nasreen and Salman Rushdie in their books, All India Mujlis Tameer-E-Millat President Mohammed Abdul Rahim Qureshi today asserted that Muslims would not tolerate any ''insult to Islam and the Prophet.'' ''We welcome criticism. We are ready for any intellectual discussion. But no Muslim can tolerate the use of abusive language against the Prophet and Islam,'' he told reporters here.

Asked about the recent attack on Ms Nasreen, he said, ''in the first place, she should not have been invited to Hyderabad.'' Mr Qureshi added the All India Muslim Personal Law Board Assistant General Secretary had made it clear that the Board had not not taken any official stand on the issue as such matters were not not within its purview.

He advised the members of the community to restrain from executing fatwa issued against Ms Nasreen as people were not supposed to take law into their own hands.

The Union Government should not grant asylum to her, taking into view the feelings of the community members, he felt.

UNI