Imam demands Islamic crescent moon symbol on Russian emblem

Moscow, May 1 (ANI): A top imam has called for the addition of the Islamic crescent moon symbol on the Russian emblem.

"We are asking for one of the heads (of the Russian state emblem, a double-headed eagle) to be topped with a crescent moon and the other to be topped with a Russian Orthodox cross. All the crowns on the coat of arms-two on the heads of eagles and one above the middle-are topped by crosses. But Russia has 20 million Muslims. That is 18 percent of the population," Tadzhuddin said.

Tadzhuddin also said that he had presented a sketch of the proposed change to both Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Fox News reports.

The demands of Talgat Tadzhuddin, head of the Central Spiritual Association of Muslims of Russia, faced condemnation from various individuals and groups.

Georgiy Vilinbakhov, head of Russias Heraldry Service argued that based on Tadzhuddin's demand, Russia's name should be changed, put a green stripe on flag and move the capital city from Moscow to somewhere on the border between Europe and Asia.

These demands might renew the already heightened tension between the state and the Islamist, which Moscow has witnessed in the recent past.

Muhammedgali Khuzin, head of the executive committee of the Russian Association of Islamic Consensus, said the proposal would hurt cultural harmony, and be generally counterproductive.

The Russian Orthodox Church also rejected the idea, but suggested that predominately Muslim areas might choose to add the crescent to their regional flags. (ANI)