Multiple foreign ministries across West Asia have summoned their respective ambassadors from India over controversial and inflammatory anti-Islam comments made by the spokesperson of the ruling party of India, headed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Nupur Sharma, spokesperson for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was suspended on 5 June following sacrilegious and insulting comments he made against Prophet Muhammad during a television debate.

The BJP issued a statement saying: “During the thousands of years in the history of India, every religion has blossomed and flourished. The Bharatiya Janata Party respects all religions. The BJP strongly denounces insults of any religious personalities of any religion.”

The foreign ministry of India then stated that the comments made by Sharma during the TV debate did not reflect the views of the Modi government in any way.

Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Oman, and the UAE all summoned their Indian ambassadors and demanded an apology from New Delhi.

Ansarallah, the Yemeni resistance movement, also condemned the remarks, referring to them as an indication of “moral bankruptcy.”

Pakistan rebuked the BJP official in the “strongest possible terms.” Ousted former prime minister Imran Khan also took to social media to express his criticism of the insulting comments.

BJP additionally suspended Delhi media head Naveen Kumar Jindal over similar comments posted in a tweet, which he later deleted.

The Indian government led by premier Modi has come under harsh criticism for policies that discriminate against India’s Muslim population, including a controversial amendment to the citizenship laws.

BJP has also been accused of using rhetoric that has resulted in an increase of violence against Muslims in India.

Open rape threat to Muslim women by a Hindu Monk. This is Modi’s new India and the clappers are our future! pic.twitter.com/g5JhCkrzgh

— Salman Nizami (@SalmanNizami_) April 8, 2022

Muslim business owners are often at risk of being violently attacked by Hindu extremists, especially if they sell beef.

Muslim push cart vendors targeted outside Hanuman Temple in Dharwad. Sri Ram Sene members vandalize & destroy watermelon & other fruits.Ram Sene says #Muslim vendors shouldn’t do business outside temples. Cops present at the location did nothing to stop the vandalism #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/gu0pCjt0lj

— Harish Upadhya (@harishupadhya) April 9, 2022