Arabs condemn Islamophobic remarks by leaders of India’s ruling party

Anger continues to rage in the Arab region against the offensive remarks insulting the Prophet Muhammad by leaders of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal on Prophet Muhammed. In responder, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait, along with Al-Azhar and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), have strongly denounced the remarks. 

On Sunday, the Saudi Foreign Ministry expressed its condemnation and denunciation of the comments made by BJP leaders Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal against the Prophet Muhammad. However, the statement welcomed BJP’s suspension of the two leaders from the party. 

Qatar summoned India’s ambassador to protest and demand India’s apology for the “Islamophobic” comments. “Allowing such Islamophobic remarks to continue without punishment constitutes a grave danger to the protection of human rights and may lead to further prejudice and marginalization, which will create a cycle of violence and hate,” Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

The UAE officially denounced the negative remarks and confirmed its firm rejection of all practices and behaviors that contradict moral and human values and principles, the Emirati Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said on Sunday.

In Kuwait, the Indian ambassador was summoned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and handed an official note of protest regarding the blasphemous remarks made by the BJP leaders. Kuwait also welcomed the BJP’s suspension of Sharma and Jindal; however, it demanded a public official apology from the Indian government. 

On Sunday, Egypt’s top Sunni authority, Al-Azhar, issued a strong statement condemning the assault against Islam by BJP. Al-Azhar warned that this rhetoric risks indulging the whole world into conflict, as some politicians make use of insulting Islam to gain the support of voters, which is considered a call to extremism that encourages strife between faiths.

Furthermore, the Saudi-based Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) strongly condemned denigration of the Prophet Muhammad, calling for international action against the repeated Indian attacks on Muslims and Islam. “The General Secretariat calls on the international community, in particular the United Nations and the Human Rights Council, to take necessary measures to challenge practices targeting Muslims in India,” the OIC said in a statement on Monday.

In its first official response, the Indian government rejected the OIC’s statement, describing it as “narrow-minded”.

“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,” the Indian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, accusing the OIC of having a “divisive agenda”.

Earlier on Sunday, BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma announced the “unconditional” withdrawal of her statement, adding that her words came as a response to disrespectful comments about her religion, adding, “I could not tolerate this continuous insult and disrespect towards our Mahadeva, and I said some things in response to it. If my words have caused discomfort or hurt religious feelings of anyone whatsoever, I hereby unconditionally withdraw my statement. It was never my intention to hurt anyone's religious feelings.”

Although Sharma has withdrawn her statement, the storm is still far from over. Arab communities are still on fire, with the hashtag “Boycott India” trending and many urging the removal of Indian products from shops. Supermarkets in Kuwait reportedly removed Indian products, and videos are being posted showing supermarket shelves covered with plastic sheets and signs in Arabic that read, “We have removed Indian products.”