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Several Gulf nations, including India’s key energy partner Saudi Arabia, have expressed displeasure over derogatory comments made by members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on Prophet Muhammad, sparking off a diplomatic row.
Iran, Qatar and Kuwait summoned India’s envoys for an official protest while Saudi Arabia issued a statement on Sunday condemning the remarks. Qatar went on to demand an apology, saying that “allowing such Islamophobic remarks to continue without punishment, constitutes a grave danger to the protection of human rights.”
The BJP suspended one of the party members and expelled another. Both were also party spokespersons and the BJP said it was “against any ideology which insults or demeans any sect or religion.”
The controversy comes amid Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to boost relations with Middle Eastern countries to secure energy needs of the South Asian nation, which imports 85% of its annual crude oil requirement.
Prophet Muhammad is widely revered in Islam as the last of God’s messengers. In several Muslim countries, insulting the Prophet is equivalent to blasphemy and can attract jail terms and in some cases, even the death sentence.
In India, the remarks against Prophet Muhammad and Islam were made on two separate occasions during a TV debate and a social media exchange. The two sanctioned party members have said they were trying to defend attacks on Hinduism.
Nevertheless, their comments are a reflection of rising anti-Muslim sentiment in India, which has become a key part of the BJP’s plan to push its Hindu nationalist agenda. The Indian embassy in Qatar attempted to play down the issue, saying the said the tweets in particular do not reflect the views of Modi’s government but were rather those of “fringe elements.”
“Vested interests that are against India-Qatar relations have been inciting the people using these derogatory comments,” the Indian embassy said in a tweet. “We should work together against such mischievous elements who aim to undercut the strength of our bilateral ties.”
India’s immediate neighbors also reacted to the controversy. Afghanistan, which recently hosted a high-level delegation of Indian officials, urged New Delhi to prevent religious fanatics from provoking the feelings of Muslims.
Pakistan, which has long competed with India for influence in West Asia, said it was concerned at the alarming rise of communal violence and hatred against Muslims in India. The government also summoned the Indian representative in Pakistan to protest the “highly derogatory remarks.”
(Updates with reactions from India’s immediate neighbors)
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