January 18, 2008	Friday	Muharram 08, 1429

MUMBAI: A powerful Islamic group in India is asking Muslims to boycott products of a top Indian business group if its owner does not apologise for hosting author Salman Rushdie on a brief holiday this week.Rushdie stayed at the plush bungalow of the Godrej family while visiting India’s biggest city where he was born and spent many of his early years.

A personal friend of the Godrejs, who have a variety of businesses from home appliances and IT to food products and pesticides, Rushdie’s visit was well publicised in the Indian media.

But the guest of Godrejs has angered the All-India Ulema Council which says the family had not cared for the sentiments of Muslims whom Rushdie had offended with his writings.

“We really hope Mr Godrej realises the hurt he has caused us and says sorry for it,” Maulana Mehmood Daryabadi, a council official, said. “Otherwise, we are asking Muslims all over to boycott his company’s products.”—Reuters