A Church of Scotland minister has called for public funding to be withdrawn from an Asian community radio station because he claims that it discriminates against non-Muslims.
The Rev Mahboob Masih, who was sacked as a volunteer presenter on Awaz FM after a row over comments made during one of his Christian programmes, won the right to take his legal case to the European Court of Justice last week.
He claims he was sacked after six years because of remarks made by a caller that reportedly upset members of the Muslim community.
Masih, the minister of West Kirk in East Kilbride, later apologised on air for any offence, but was told this did not satisfy those who had complained. He was asked to apologise in person at the Glasgow mosque but refused.
Masih, 37, said: “This is a community radio station run largely by public funding. It is a scandalous use of that money to give the Muslim community preferential treatment, while at the same time suppressing freedom of speech. All public funding should be halted until my case is settled.”
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Javed Sattar, Awaz FM’s station manager, said that the remainder of the running costs are met by grants, donations and advertising revenue. He also refuted Masih’s claims of discrimination: “Awaz FM has no preferential treatment towards any faith or organisation.”