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The BJP has been receiving widespread flak, including from international quarters, over the remarks made by two party spokespersons, Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal, against Prophet Mohammed. In an effort to do some damage control, the party suspended the two, but not before several Arab countries condemned the move and summoned the Indian envoys for an apology.
For this, the party has also drawn the ire of their own supporters, who have expressed their displeasure over the suspension of Sharma and Jindal on social media. Several supporters have condemned PM Modi and the party for “not having the guts” to stand up for its spokespersons in the face of international backlash, and called the suspension a result of appeasement.
“Welcome to Islamic state of India where a spineless @BJP4India can't defend #NupurSharma. If relations with Arab and Muslim countries are so crucial then why we are not able to get anything done about Hindus getting persecuted daily in Pakistan and Bangladesh (sic),” one Twitter user wrote. Others also asked how the BJP will defend the country “when it can’t even defend its spokespersons”.
Welcome to Islamic state of India where a spineless @BJP4India can't defend #NupurSharma. If relations with Arab and Muslim countries are so crucial then why we are not able to get anything done about Hindus getting persecuted daily in Pakistan and Bangladesh.#ShameOnBJP pic.twitter.com/kAsaPf1cw4
— Kashmiri Hindu (@BattaKashmiri) June 5, 2022
On Sunday, May 9, four countries — Qatar, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait — issued statements condemning the BJP for allowing its spokespersons to speak against the Prophet. Indian envoys in these countries were also summoned by the governments. This came amid reports of people in these countries calling for an economic boycott against Indian products in protest against Sharma and Jindal’s remarks.
On Sunday, June 6, the Qatar government was the first to summon the Indian representatives, calling for a “public apology and immediate condemnation of these remarks from the Indian government”. However, the Indian Embassy in Qatar responded to this by saying that the remarks do not reflect the views of the Government of India and blamed “fringe elements” for the same.
Similarly, representatives of the Indian government were summoned by Iran, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait hours later.
How can we expect @narendramodi & @amitshah to defend the country when they cannot defend their own party spokesperson? No wonder China is stomping on our land with impunity
— ॐRameshॐ (@rameshnswamy) June 5, 2022
Again what Dr @swamy39 prophetic words have come true.#ShameOnBJP pic.twitter.com/Jaf1AEI3oz
This is how BJP supports its workers.#ShameOnBJP#नूपुर_नवीन_को_वापस_लो pic.twitter.com/KKbg6Eb6jC
— Tulsi (तुलसी) (@tulsi____) June 5, 2022
Nupur Sharma’s contentious remarks were made during a TV news debate on Times Now, on the discovery of a shivling-like structure in Varanasi’s Gyanvapi mosque earlier in May. Nupur had said that Muslims were mocking Hindus for calling the figure a ‘shivling’ even though it was later reportedly found to be a fountain. She added that she can mock things in the Quran as well, and went on to make a provocative comment about Prophet Muhammed.
Along with Sharma, the party also suspended industrialist and former BJP legislator Naveen Jindal, who had drawn flak for a June 1 tweet in which he questioned Prophet Mohammed’s marriage to Aisha.
With PTI inputs