Nupur Sharma makes inflammatory remarks against Prophet, BJP suspends her and says ‘party respects all religions’

Gulf Today Report

Hours after it denounced insult of any religious personalities, the BJP on Sunday suspended party spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal for their comments on Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).

After hashtags calling for a boycott of Indian products began spreading across Twitter in Arab countries following alleged inflammatory remarks against Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal.

The incident has sparked public ire, and led to some clashes in several parts of India.

The BJP suspended Nupur Sharma from the party "with immediate effect," while Jindal's main party membership was rescinded.

The Grand Mufti of Oman Sheikh Al-Khalili tweeted: “The insolent and obscene rudeness of the official spokesman for the ruling party in India against the Messenger of Islam, peace be upon him, and his pure wife, Mother of the Believers Aisha, may God be pleased with her, is a war against every Muslim in the east and west of the earth, and it is a matter that calls for all Muslims to rise as one nation.”

The BJP also said that it does not promote such people or philosophy.

In a press statement, BJP national general secretary, Arun Singh said, "During the thousands of years of the history of India every religion has blossomed and flourished. The Bharatiya Janata Party respects all religions. The BJP strongly denounces insults of any religious personality of any religion. The Bharatiya Janata Party is also strongly against any ideology which insults or demeans any sect or religion. The BJP does not promote such people or philosophy."

The Indian Embassy in UAE retweeted a BJP statement, “BJP respects all religions, strongly denounces insult of any religious personality of any religion: Party statement.”

Sharma's comments have prompted complaints from several Muslim countries, including Qatar and Kuwait.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar said in a statement it had summoned the Indian ambassador over the comments.

The State of Kuwait also summoned the Indian ambassador and said it had handed the ambassador a protest note in which Kuwait rejected and denounced the statements made by the BJP official.
 
Several FIRs have been filed against BJP national spokesperson Nupur Sharma in Maharashtra, and violence erupted in Kanpur on June 3 after her remarks during a TV debate.

The police have arrested a total of 29 people involved in the violence on Friday.

The local Muslim leader, Hayat Zafar Hashmi, was identified by the police as the main conspirator behind the violence.

Police said Hayat Zafar Hashmi, who is also the national president of the Maulana Muhammad Jauhar Ali Fans Association, called for the market shutdown to protest the remarks made by BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma during a TV news debate.

Three FIRs have been filed against over 1,000 unknown persons for rioting and violence. The accused will be booked under the Gangster Act and their property will be confiscated.