New Delhi: There is an uproar in Britain after the Church of England's most senior figure backed the introduction of Sharia in that country.
Advocating limited application of Islamic sharia law in Britain, the Archbishop of Canterbury said it 'seems inevitable' that elements of the Muslim law, such as divorce proceedings, would be incorporated into the country's legislation.
The sharia is often seen as a draconian law which prescribes punishments such as amputation of limbs, death by stoning or canning for crimes such as theft, adultery or blasphemy.
Archbishop Rowan Williams, in fact, suggested that Britain has to 'face up to the fact' that some citizens did not relate to this country's legal system and argued that officially sanctioning sharia law would improve community relations.
The comment has provoked a row between the Christian leader and the government with the Downing Street and various religious groups questioning his comments.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown's spokesman immediately rejected Williams' proposal. "The Prime Minister believes British law should apply in this country, based on British values," said the spokesman, in a quick attempt to distance Downing Street from the Archbishop's comments.
"I think there is one law in this country and it's the democratically determined law," Home Secretary Jacqui Smith was quoted as saying by Daily Telegraph.
"This is a Christian country with Christian laws. If Muslims want to live under sharia law then they are free to emigrate to a country where sharia law is already in operation," Stephen Green, the director of Christian Voice, was reported as saying in the report.
(With agency inputs)
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