The proverb “those who live in glass houses should not throw stones” can be interpreted as a reminder that people with flaws shouldn't criticise others for having the same flaws. The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, does not seem to know this maxim. Otherwise, he would not have said on the occasion of Prophet Muhammad’s birth anniversary, “we cannot consider ourselves Muslims if we are oblivious to the suffering that a Muslim is enduring in Myanmar, Gaza, India, or any other place.” Little did he remember that he made this statement a day after thousands of Iranian women took to the streets to protest the compulsory wearing of the hijab, a cause for which Mahsa Amini sacrificed her life that day two years ago. The Ayatollah also recalled the utopian concept of the Islamic Ummah and suggested the need for greater harmony between Shias and Sunnis.
A spokesman for the External Affairs Ministry hit the nail on the head when he “strongly deplored the misinformed and unacceptable” comment on India and advised the Ayatollah “to look at their own record before making any observation about others.” The institution of the Ayatollah became infamous worldwide when it issued a fatwa against Salman Rushdie for penning the unreadable book The Satanic Verses. History remembers that Iran fought a meaningless internecine war with Iraq that benefited no one, except other forces seeking to fish in troubled waters. The less said about Iran's treatment of minorities, the better. It's been 45 years since the Islamic revolution removed the Pahlavi dynasty, but has it truly improved the socio-economic condition of the people? That said, India should also ensure that it does not give anyone reason to criticise by treating all its people equally and equitably and punishing those who spread religious hatred.
'Misinformed, Unacceptable': India Deplores Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's Comments On Minorities
