BSNL accused of misusing Quran

The Madhya Pradesh State Minorities Commission yesterday issued notices to Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) and ITI Ltd (Uttar Pradesh) on a complaint accusing them of misusing verses in the Quran for selling the WLL service""tarang.

State Muslim Education Society (Khandwa) President Mukeet Khan in his complaint had objected to the word "bismillah" printed on the packing box of handsets being distributed by BSNL for the tarang Seville.

"Since the box will eventually be thrown in the dustbin, it will amount to an insult to the verse of holy Quran," Khan alleged.

"A preliminary investigation showed that the verse was unnecessarily printed on the box in Arabic and it affected sentiments of Muslims," Commission Research Officer RK Namdev said.

Taking cognizance of the complaint, the Commission has issued notices to BSNL general manager (Madhya Pradesh), BSNL's Delhi-based head office, and ITI Ltd, the Rai Bareli-based manufacturer of the packing box, he added.