Doha: The Arab world has reacted strongly to the defamatory remarks about the Holy Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) made by a top official in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and launched an online campaign calling for a boycott of the Indian products.
Arab world has reacted strongly to the defamatory remarks about the Holy Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) made by BJP top officials. Several Middle Eastern countries including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain have started a campaign to boycott India products. The Gulf Cooperation Council has “condemned, rejected and denounced” BJP spokesperson’s comments. The Hashtag, “Anyone but the Prophet, oh Modi” is trending on Twitter in all six Gulf countries.
The Gulf countries are a major destination for India’s overseas workers, accounting for 8.7 million out of a worldwide total of 13.5 million. They are also big importers of products from India and elsewhere, with Kuwait importing 95 percent of its food according to the Trade Minister.
Grand Mufti of Oman Sheikh Ahmad Bin Hamad Al-Khalil announced a boycott of Indian products over the derogatory remarks issue. Many supermarkets across the Middle East have removed Indian products from their shelves as the Arab World reacts with anger to the blasphemous remarks by Indian politicians. Meanwhile, in Kuwait, pictures of Indian Prime Minister Modi have been posted on trash bins and Printed signs at the supermarket, located just outside Kuwait City, read: “We have removed Indian products”.
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Iran and other Muslim countries have summoned Indian Ambassadors. Al-Azhar University called the comments “the real terrorism” that “could plunge the entire world into deadly crisis and wars”. A fellow with Observer Research Foundation Kabeer Taneja said, “Communal issues are not new in India and in previous cases, we have not had such a response (from Arab states).” A Bahrain-based fellow Hasan Alhasan at the International Institute for Strategic Studies said, “Modi has tried very hard to prevent his party’s domestic political agenda from spilling over and poisoning India’s relations with the Gulf states”. “The extent to which Sharma’s comments have clouded India’s relations with the Gulf states is unprecedented, and that’s of course because she is, or was, the spokesperson of BJP.”
