Six more countries have joined diplomatic protests across the Muslim world over humiliating statements insulting the Prophet Muhammad by spokesmen for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party.
Indonesia, the UAE, the Maldives, Jordan, Bahrain and Libya have joined Qatar, Kuwait, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Afghanistan in filing formal complaints about comments from representatives of the Hindu nationalist party Bharatiya Janata. Meanwhile, hardline party members have reacted angrily to disciplinary action against the couple after their comments went viral in the Middle East.
Indonesia, which has the largest number of Muslims in the world, summoned the Indian ambassador to Jakarta. “Indonesia strongly condemns the unacceptable humiliating remarks against the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) [peace be upon him] by two Indian politicians, “the Foreign Ministry tweeted.
Bahrain called for “the need to condemn all reprehensible insults against the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), as a provocation to the feelings of Muslims and incitement to religious hatred.”
The BJP’s attempt to quell anger by removing its national spokesman, Nupur Sharma, and expelling its Delhi media leader, Navin Kumar Jindal, dismissing them as “strange elements” that do not represent the government’s views has had little success in the Muslim world.
At home, Hindu hardliners, who have often targeted India’s Muslim minority, have expressed anger at the descent, unusual for a party that has never faced domestic criticism in its eight years in power.
Many praised Sharma, who remarked during a debate on a right-wing news channel, and expressed distrust that the BJP government could succumb to pressure from Muslim countries. Jindal was expelled for a tweet he made about the prophet, which has since been deleted.
The hashtag “#ShameOnBJP” was on trend on Twitter, along with expressions of solidarity with the national spokesman and a rare rebuke to Modi, with hardliners speculating that Uttar Pradesh’s chief minister, Yogi Aditianat, could become a better prime minister.
The party says it cannot jeopardize India’s extensive trade ties with the Arab world, its need for Gulf oil and its demand to protect the 6.5 million Indians living in the Persian Gulf.
Meanwhile, Indian opposition leaders have demanded the arrest of Sharma, who told Delhi police she had received death threats, and Jindal, who said the actions taken so far were false.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused the BJP of dividing India internally and weakening it externally. “BJP’s infamous bigotry not only isolates us, but also damages India’s reputation worldwide,” he tweeted.
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