• At least 16 nations condemn BJP leader’s remark against prophet

    National
    At least 16 nations condemn BJP leader’s remark against prophet

    Qatar, Iran, and Kuwait summoned India's ambassadors on Sunday, expressing their strong outrage and strong protest of a BJP leader's provocative remarks against Prophet Mohammed.

    Digital Desk: More than 15 countries, including Kuwait,
    Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Qatar, Oman, the UAE, Afghanistan, Iran, Bahrain,
    Maldives, Jordan, Libya, and Indonesia, have lodged
    officials
    against India for the controversial remarks on the Prophet by the Bhartiya
    Janta Party’s national spokesperson, Nupur Sharma.



    However, on
    Sunday, the party suspended Nupur Sharma and further expelled Naveen Kumar
    Jindal, the BJP’s Delhi media head, over their controversial remarks against
    the Prophet.



    In response
    to Muslim groups' protest, the party published a statement intended to assuage
    minorities' fears and distance itself from these individuals, stating that it
    respects all religions and vehemently condemns the insulting of any religious
    personality.



    Notably,
    Bahrain's foreign affairs ministry welcomed the BJP's decision to suspend its
    spokeswoman, emphasizing the importance of "denouncing any reprehensible
    insults against the Prophet Muhammad, PBUH, as a provocation to Muslim
    sensibilities and encouragement to religious intolerance."



    As per a
    statement issued by the ministry, "the importance of respecting all
    religious beliefs, symbols, and personalities, as well as the international
    community's concerted efforts to spread the values of moderation, tolerance,
    and dialogue between religions and civilizations, and to confront extremist
    ideas that feed sedition and religious, sectarian, or racial hatred."
    Meanwhile, according to Pajhwok News, Afghanistan's largest independent news
    agency, the interim Afghan government, run by the Taliban, strongly condemned
    the disrespectful insults directed at Prophet Mohammad.



    In a tweet,
    government Spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said, "
    The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan strongly condemns the use of derogatory
    words against the Prophet of Islam (Peace be upon him) by an official of the
    ruling party in India."



    He added,
    "We urge the Indian government not to allow such radicals to denigrate
    Islam's holy religion and provoke Muslims' feelings."



    Qatar, Iran,
    and Kuwait summoned India's ambassadors on Sunday, expressing their strong
    outrage and strong protest of a BJP leader's provocative remarks against
    Prophet Mohammed.



    Pakistan
    summoned India's chargé d'affaires on Monday to express its emphatic rejection
    and disapproval of the controversial remarks.



    Shehbaz
    Sharif, Pakistan's prime minister, condemned the "hurtful" remarks
    made against Islam's prophet on Sunday.



    In a bid to
    defuse a diplomatic spat, spokespersons for the Indian embassies in Qatar and
    Kuwait announced that the ambassadors would meet to discuss the situation.
    "This conveyed that the tweets do not reflect the views of the Indian
    government in any way." These are the viewpoints of the outliers. "
    In the Arab world, the inflammatory remarks spurred a Twitter trend calling for
    a boycott of Indian products.