Qatar, Kuwait summon India envoys over anti-Muslim remarks by BJP leaders

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Qatar and Kuwait yesterday summoned the Indian ambassadors to their countries to officially "reject and condemn" controversial and derogatory remarks made by senior officials in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), against Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and Muslims

The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement it had summoned Indian Ambassador Deepak Mittal and handed him an official "letter of protest".

The ministry welcomed the statement issued by the BJP ruling party in India in which it announced the suspension of spokesperson Nupur Sharma and New Delhi media head Naveen Kumar Jindal and said Qatar is expecting a public apology and immediate condemnation of these remarks from the Government of India.

The ministry affirmed that "insulting statements that incite religious hatred are an insult to Muslims around the world and indicate the clear ignorance of the pivotal role played by Islam in the development of civilisations around the world, including in India."

The statement pointed out that "allowing such anti-Islam statements to continue with impunity poses a grave danger to the protection of human rights and may lead to further prejudice and marginalisation, which will lead to a cycle of violence and hatred."

The statement reiterated Qatar's full support for the values of tolerance, coexistence and respect for all religions and nationalities, which "characterise Qatar's global friendships and its tireless work to contribute to the consolidation of international peace and security".

Meanwhile, the Kuwait Foreign Ministry said India's Ambassador Sibi George was summoned yesterday and handed an official protest note by the Assistant Secretary of State for Asia Affairs expressing Kuwait's "categorical rejection and condemnation" of the statements issued by the ruling party official against the Prophet.

Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain have also reportedly begun a boycott of Indian products with supermarkets removing them from their shelves.

Source: Middle East Monitor under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0