After facing widespread backlash and anger in the Arab countries over the controversial comments on Prophet Mohammed, India on Thursday said that it has made it clear that the remarks do not reflect the views of the government.
The Ministry of External Affairs released a statement after facing widespread backlash in Arab countries over the controversial statements on Prophet Mohammed. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) made it clear that the statements do not reflect the views of the government and that the action against the guilty had taken place.
Statement by the Ministry of External Affairs:
We have made it pretty clear that tweets and comments do not reflect the views of the government,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a media briefing on Thursday.
“This has been conveyed to our interlocutors as well as the fact that action has been taken by the concerned quarters against those who made the comments and tweets. I really do not have anything additional to say on this,” he said.
After he was asked about the claim in an Iranian readout that said that after Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian raised the issue of controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammed with NSA Ajit Doval on Wednesday, The latter said that offenders will be dealt with in such a way that others will learn a lesson, Mr. Bagchi said: “My understanding is that what you are referring to in a readout has been pulled down.”
Visiting Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian did not raise the controversy over former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokespersons at his meeting with S Jaishankar, the external affairs ministry (MEA) said on Thursday.
“My understanding is that this issue was not raised during the conversation between the external affairs minister and the Iranian External Affairs Minister” ANI quoted a spokesperson of the MEA Arindam Bagchi as saying.
On the question that Amir-Abdollahian raised the issue during his meeting with NSA Ajit Doval and was replied that those who made the offensive statement will be dealt with in such a way “that is a lesson to others,” Bagchi said: “My understanding is that what you are referring to in an (Iranian) readout has been pulled down.”
The MEA spokesperson also said it has made it clear that the remarks do not reflect the views of the government.as he stated
“We have made it pretty clear that the tweets and comments do not reflect views of the government,” Bagchi said.
The Main Controversy:
All this started after the former national spokesperson of the BJP, Nupur Sharma, made objectionable remarks against Prophet Muhammad during a television debate on an English news channel.
The BJP leader had made the statements during a debate on the Gyanvapi mosque-Kashi Vishwanath temple dispute on the Times Now news channel, following which havoc took place on social media, causing the channel to distance itself from Ms. Sharma’s remarks. Soon after the debate was aired, Ms. Sharma tweeted screenshots tagging Delhi Police, wherein she claimed that she and her family were receiving death threats.
The BJP on Sunday suspended its national spokesperson, Nupur Sharma, and the party’s Delhi unit media head, Naveen Jindal, for allegedly making derogatory comments on the Prophet.
Due to the remarks by former BJP leader Nupur Sharma, many Arab countries registered their anger on the issue. Countries like Qatar, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, and Iraq have openly criticized the remarks.
The statement by the Ministry of External Affairs made India’s stance clear on the controversy, which was important amidst the backlash faced it. It may have caused unnecessary clashes with the Arab countries, damaging India’s relations with them.
