Dubai: India is facing major diplomatic outrage from Muslim-majority countries after top officials in the governing Hindu nationalist party made derogatory references to Islam and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), drawing accusations of blasphemy across some Arab nations that have left New Delhi struggling to contain the damaging fallout.
Six more countries have joined diplomatic protests across the Muslim world over derogatory remarks insulting the Prophet Muhammad made by BJP officials. Indonesia, UAE, Maldives, Jordan, Bahrain and Libya have joined Qatar, Kuwait, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Afghanistan in lodging official complaints over comments from representatives of BJP.
Indonesia and Malaysia have summoned Indian envoys in their countries over “derogatory” remarks made about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by two BJP officials. It comes as anger spreads across the Arab and Muslim world, with various Middle Eastern nations summoning New Delhi’s envoys and a Kuwaiti supermarket removing Indian products. Indonesian foreign ministry spokesperson Teuku Faizasyah summoned India’s ambassador Manoj Kumar Bharti and “strongly condemns unacceptable derogatory remarks” made by “two Indian politicians” against the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Malaysia also “unreservedly condemns the derogatory remarks” by Indian politicians, adding that it had conveyed its “total repudiation” to India’s envoy.
“Malaysia calls upon India to work together in ending the Islamophobia and cease any provocative acts in the interest of peace and stability”. Indonesian Ulema Council Senior Executive Sudarnoto Abdul Hakim said, Sharma’s words were “irresponsible, insensitive, caused inconvenience and hurt the feelings of Muslims worldwide”.
He said the remarks also contradicted the United Nations resolution to combat Islamophobia. Bahrain called on “the need to denounce any reprehensible insults against the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, as a provocation to Muslims’ feelings and incitement to religious hatred”. A columnist and television commentator, Anand Ranganathan has compared Sharma to Charlie Hebdo. Web Desk
