The Singapore government has decided to deport an Indian imam for his remarks against the Jewish and Christian communities. Forty-seven-year-old Nalla Mohamed Abdul Jameel was fined $2,860 for promoting enmity among different religious groups. “Nalla has paid the fine. He will be repatriated,” said the Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs, according to AFP.
District Judge Jasvender Kaur said Singapore does not have any place for enmity and discord. She said, “[We] cannot allow any person or group to sow discord among the different religious or racial groups when we have worked so hard as a society to achieve religious and racial harmony.” Jameel has apologised to different religious leaders and visited a Jewish rabbi to express his regret.
The interior ministry said the decision to deport the imam was taken keeping in mind international events. “Recent events abroad have highlighted how the build-up of anger and resentment among different religious groups can lead to social friction and violence. The government has the responsibility to act quickly and firmly to repudiate divisive speech, even if the course of action is sometimes difficult,” it said.
According to court documents had referred to an incident in January when Jameel had said, “Grant us help against the Jews and Christians”. The imam had cited the Quran when he made the remark. Legal action was initiated after a video of him making this remark during a prayer meet was uploaded on Facebook in February.
The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, however, said the imam’s recitation was not from the Quran. “[It] does not constitute part of the divine message,” the council told AFP.
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