New Delhi

The Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind on Tuesday condemned the lynching of a Hindu man on charges of blasphemy in Bangladesh, terming it the "height of cruelty" and demanding strict punishment for the perpetrators.

In a statement, Jamiat chief Maulana Arshad Madani said such incidents not only go against the teachings of Islam but also defame the religion.

The Hindu man, Dipu Chandra Das (27), was lynched by a mob and his body set on fire over alleged blasphemy in Baluka in Bangladesh's Mymensingh district earlier this month. About 12 people have been arrested so far in connection with the lynching.

Madani said the atrocities against the minority community in the neighbouring country are "very unfortunate". They not only go against the teachings of Islam but also defame the religion. Therefore, such people should be given the harshest punishment, he said.

Brutally killing someone is not just murder but the "height of cruelty", and it cannot be condemned enough, the Jamiat chief said.

"Some people are misusing religion to gain power. This is leading to a dangerous increase in religious fanaticism, due to which minorities everywhere feel insecure," he said.

Being religious is not wrong and every person should honestly follow their religion and its teachings. However, when fanaticism creeps in, people start to misunderstand other religions, which leads to conflict, he added.

Madani also criticised the recent disturbances created by some elements in different parts of the country on the occasion of Christmas and noted that there was no reaction from the government.

READ MORE: Cricket taught me to value human talent over caste and religion

He said the kind of outrage being witnessed over the attacks on minorities in Bangladesh is not seen when it comes to violence against minorities and mob lynchings in India.