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Regional leaders condemn India’s ruling party over anti-Islam remarks
The BJP has been accused of supporting the policies and rhetoric that instigated a spike in violence against Indian Muslims
By News Desk - June 06 2022
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A man installs the symbol of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) (Photo credit: Reuters)

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.

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

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