Indian women separatist group protests anti-Islam movie

A women separatist group Monday staged demonstrations in Indian- controlled Kashmir to protest the controversial anti-Islam movie. The protest was staged by activists of Muslim Khawatan Markaz ( MKM) and led by its chairwoman Yasmeen Raja in Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir. The fully veiled female activists took out the protest march carrying placards and flags to denounce the film. "We are demanding stern punishment against the filmmaker," said Raja. The activists were shouting anti-U.S. and anti-Israel slogans and also burned the posters having U.S. and Israel flags drawn on them to show their anger. "The Muslim countries should ask the visiting ambassador of the U.S. to go back as a mark of protests, until filmmaker is punished," said Raja. The trailers of the film mocking Prophet Mohammed available on video sharing website YouTube sparked violent protests and evoked condemnations. The film titled "Innocence of Muslims" made by an American Jewish has portrayed Prophet of Islam - Mohammad in insulting terms. The region's government has asked Indian Ministry of Information Technology to block the trails of film available on YouTube citing it has potential to trigger violent protests. Reports pouring in from Awantipora town, 25 km south of Srinagar, said students of the Islamic University of Science and Technology also staged demos against this blasphemous movie Monday. Both of the protests ended peacefully, police said. In 2010, at least 14 people including a policeman were killed during protests against the burning of Islamic holy book The Quran by an American pastor. However, the repeated calls from religious and separatist leaders for peaceful protests this time are showing desired results. Massive protests have rocked the Mideast. In Libya, four Americans including the U.S. ambassador Christopher Stevens were killed on Tuesday when a mob attacked the U.S. consulate in Benghazi during such protests. Meanwhile, religious groups, trade bodies and the hardline separatist alliance have called for a daylong strike on Tuesday in the region against the anti-Islam movie.