Rajesh Kochhar

In the 16th century, the Portuguese were well entrenched on India’s west coast and controlled the Arabian Sea. Combining commercial greed and religious fervor, they looted the returning Hadj ships which carried out trade as well. In one such raid, the Portuguese tied the Quran to a dog’s tail.The Mughal Emperor Akbar was under great pressure, including from his own mother whom he loved dearly, to retaliate by insulting the Bible. Akbar refused, saying that that if they were doing something wrong,that  did not mean that he should also do so.

It is true that 9/11 terrorists were Muslim. This does not mean that each and every Muslim is a criminal and that disrespect should be shown to their holy book.The Portuguese, who had the Pope’s support, committed unspeakable atrocities wherever they went.Protestant colonialists who followed them were probably only slighter better. Does Terry Jones  as a Christian   consider himself responsible for the past sins of his co-religionists?