NEW DELHI — India is under major diplomatic pressure from Muslim-majority nations after senior officials of the ruling Hindu nationalist party made disparaging remarks about Islam and the Prophet Muhammad.
These comments led to accusations of blasphemy from some Arab countries, which have since left New Delhi to deal with the negative consequences.
At least five Arab countries have filed official protests against India. Pakistan and Afghanistan both strongly reacted Monday to comments made by two prominent representatives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.
Social media has seen anger rise and calls have been made for boycotting Indian goods in some Arab countries. It has also led to protests in certain parts of India against Modi’s party.
These controversial comments are in response to increasing violence against India’s Muslim minorities, perpetrated by Hindu nationalists, who have been encouraged by Modi’s consistent silence about such attacks since his first election in 2014.
Indian Muslims have been repeatedly targeted over the years for their food, clothing and inter-religious marriages. Rights groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have warned that the attacks could get worse. They also accused Modi’s ruling party of allowing hate speech against Muslims and allowing them to look the other way. Although Muslims make up 14 percent of India’s population, they are large enough to be the country’s second-largest Muslim community.
Modi’s party refutes the allegations, but India’s Muslims claim that attacks on them and their faith are increasing.
Since last week, anger has grown after Nupur Sharma, and Naveen Jindal made speculative comments that were seen to be insulting Islam’s Prophet Muhammad and Aisha.
Modi’s party did not take any action against them until Sunday when a chorus of diplomatic outrage erupted with Qatar and Kuwait calling for their Indian ambassadors. The BJP suspended Sharma, expelled Jindal, and then issued a rare statement in which it “strongly denounces insults of any religious personalities.” This move was welcomed by Qatari and Kuwait.
Later, Iran and Saudi Arabia filed complaints with India. The Jeddha-based Organization of Islamic Cooperation stated that the comments were made in the context of “intensifying hatred and abuse towards Islam in India” and “systematic practices against Muslims”.
New Delhi has not commented on the protests by Arab countries, but the Foreign Ministry said Monday that the OIC’s comments were “unwarranted and narrow-minded.” India’s embassies at Doha and Qatar stated that the views against Prophet Muhammad and Islam were not the Indian government’s. Both statements also indicated that the OIC had taken strong action against those making the derogatory remarks.
However, the criticisms from Muslim countries were severe. This indicates that insulting Prophet Muhammad was unacceptable.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry stated that it expects a public apology from India. Riyadh claimed the comments were offensive and called for respect for religions and beliefs.
Sharma’s comments during an Indian TV program and Jindal’s tweet could damage India’s relations with Arab countries.
India has strong relationships with Qatar and Kuwait. These wealthy sheikhdoms rely on India’s millions of migrants to help their small local communities and run the daily operations of the country. India is also dependent on the oil-rich Gulf Arab countries to fuel its energy-hungry economy.
These remarks caused anger in Pakistan, India’s archrival, as well as in Afghanistan.
Monday’s summons by Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry to an Indian diplomat was a response to Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s comments that Pakistan is a “serial violator of minorities rights” and that India should not “engage in alarmist propaganda or attempting fomenting communal disharmony” in India.
Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for the ministry, stated that India accords highest respect to all religions.
Kabul also received criticism. According to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the Indian government shouldn’t allow “such fanatics insult Islam and provoke the emotions of Muslims.”
Modi’s party was also criticized by some of its supporters. But, it was for another reason. Many Hindu nationalists made comments on social media claiming that the government was bowing to international pressure.
Modi has seen an increase in anti-Muslim sentiments, and even attacks, across India. Last week, Secretary-of-State Antony Blinken stated that India was experiencing “rising attacks against people and places of worship.” This elicited a response from New Delhi which called the comments “ill informed.”
