The newly-elected mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has invited US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to visit the British capital to show him that Islam is "compatible" with western values and to change his "ignorant" views regarding the religion.
There is an open debate between the Muslim mayor of London and the controversial New York billionaire due to anti-Muslim statements made by Trump during his electoral campaign, ahead of the White House election race next November.
Trump sparked controversy after declaring that he will not allow Muslims to enter the US if he becomes president, but said he would make an exception for Khan, who rejected Trump's comments categorically and dubbed him "ignorant".
In response, Trump said: "I think they are very rude statements and frankly, tell him I will remember those statements. They are very nasty statements."
As he commented on Trump's remarks to the BBC, Khan invited the US tycoon to London to demonstrate Islam's compatibility with Western liberal values.
"My simple point was, I'm not exceptional. What about my friends and family? What about Londoners who are businessmen and women who want to do business in the US? What about Londoners who want to go and study in the US but happen to be Muslim?" Khan said.
"The vast majority of Muslims are law abiding, peaceful. I accept there are a small minority of people who do bad things, they are terrorists, they are criminals, using the name of Islam to justify what they do," London's new mayor acknowledged.
Khan invited Trump to London to meet him, his family, friends and the citizens who will prove that Republican candidate's views on Islam are "ignorant".
--IANS
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