More Islamic nations issue statements condemning Prophet remarks by BJP leaders

New Delhi: More Islamic nations came forward on Monday to condemn the controversial statements about Prophet Mohammad made by now-expelled and suspended BJP functionaries, with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman, Libya, Bahrain and closer home, Indonesia, Maldives and the Taliban regime, issuing statements.

On Sunday, Qatar, Kuwait and Iran had summoned the respective Indian envoys in their state capitals to convey their condemnation of the statements on Prophet Mohammad made by now-expelled BJP functionary Naveen Kumar Jindal and now-suspended spokesperson Nupur Sharma.

The Pakistan Foreign Office also issued a statement on Sunday condemning the remarks about the Prophet.

On Monday, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the six-member powerful Gulf Cooperation Council, and the Al-Azhar mosque in Cairo issued statements condemning the remarks.

The Sultanate of Oman summoned the Indian Ambassador Amit Narang to express its condemnation of the insulting remarks made about Prophet Mohammad, Islam and Muslims.

The Qatar Shura Council, which also held a meeting with visiting Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu in Doha on Monday, met to express its strong condemnation of the offensive remarks made by the BJP functionaries against Prophet Mohammad and noted that the State of Qatar “is expecting a public apology and immediate condemnation of these remarks from the Government of India”.

The Speaker of Qatar Shura Council, Hassan Abdulla Al-Ghanim, accompanied by three members of the Shura Council, called on Vice President Naidu. The Shura Council is the legislative body of the State of Qatar, with 45 members.

The issue figured during the Speaker's meeting with the Indian VP. The Qatari statement said that “During the meeting, they emphasized the historical relations between the Qatari and Indian peoples and the Qatari people's dissatisfaction with the offensive remarks made by an official in the ruling party in India against Prophet Mohammed and Islam, as they do not help in the rapprochement between peoples.”

During the Shura Council meeting later, the Speaker also raked up the alleged instances of "escalation of hatred and abuse of Islam" in India, and the incidents related to banning of hijab in Indian states among other issues.

On Sunday, an official banquet to be hosted by the Qatar Deputy Emir for the Indian VP was called off, due to health issues, as the Qatari official was reported to have interacted with some Covid positive persons a few days prior, and this had been conveyed to the Indian Vice President’s office, while the latter was still in Senegal.

However, in the light of the developments, the calling off of the official banquet is being seen in a different light.

Pakistan issued a strong demarche to the Indian Charge d’ Affaires in Islamabad condemning the remarks against Prophet Mohammad, even as India slammed the remarks by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that “India under Modi is persecuting Muslims”.

The Pakistan Foreign Office summoned the Charge d’ Affaires M Suresh Kumar and issued a strong demarche condemning the controversial remarks about the Prophet.

The Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while condemning the remarks by the BJP functionaries, also said that “India under Modi is trampling religious freedoms and persecuting Muslims. World should take note and severely reprimand India.”

He added, in a line aimed to whip up communal sentiments, that “All Muslims can sacrifice their life for the Love & Respect of their Holy Prophet.”

In response, the MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the “absurdity of a serial violator of minority rights commenting on the treatment of minorities in another nation is not lost on anyone”.

He also said “The world has been witness to the systemic persecution of minorities including Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Ahmadiyyas by Pakistan.”

Bagchi said the Government of India accords the highest respect to all religions. “This is quite unlike Pakistan where fanatics are eulogized and monuments built in their honour.”

“We call on Pakistan to focus on the safety, security and well-being of its minority communities instead of engaging in alarmist propaganda and attempting to foment communal disharmony in India,” he said.

India also slammed the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation for its statement that “These cases of defamation are part of a growing spate of hatred & defamation of Islam in India” .

The MEA spokesperson accused the OIC of making "motivated, misleading and mischievous comments" and said New Delhi categorically rejects the "unwarranted and narrow-minded comments".

"The offensive tweets and comments denigrating a religious personality were made by certain individuals. They do not, in any manner, reflect the views of the government of India. Strong action has already been taken against these individuals by relevant bodies," Bagchi said.

"It is regrettable that OIC Secretariat has yet again chosen to make motivated, misleading and mischievous comments. This only exposes its divisive agenda being pursued at the behest of vested interests.”

The Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, in a statement said the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan urges the Indian government "not to allow such fanatics to insult the holy religion of Islam and, provoke the feelings of Muslims." (UNI)