India’s ruling political party sacks two top members for remarks on Prophet Muhammad

Agencies | New Delhi

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

India’s ruling political party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday suspended national spokesperson Nupur Sharma and expelled Delhi BJP media in-charge Naveen Kumar Jindal over their controversial comments on Prophet Muhammad.

While Sharma was suspended from the party pending an inquiry, Jindal was ousted from the party.

The action, which came shortly after the BJP issued a statement denouncing insult to any religious personality, is said to be the fallout of the party’s growing unease over statements being made against Muslims.

The BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was upset with Sharma’s statement made at a television debate.

Twitter was abuzz with anti-India boycott calls from the Arab world, including from the likes of the Grand Mufti of Oman.

Ahead of the Iranian Foreign Minister's first-ever trip to New Delhi next week, Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned the Indian ambassador to Tehran over what state media called an "insult against the Prophet of Islam in an Indian TV show".

Apart from Iran, Qatar and Kuwait had also summoned India's Ambassadors and handed over to them protest notes on what the Gulf countries called categorical "rejection and condemnation" of the controversial remarks of a BJP leader against Prophet Mohammed.

Seeking to defuse a diplomatic row, a spokesperson of the Indian Embassy in Qatar said that the "Ambassador conveyed that the tweets do not, in any manner, reflect the views of the Government of India. These are the views of fringe elements." The spokesperson said that the Indian Ambassador to Qatar Deepak Mittal had a meeting in the Foreign Office in which concerns were raised about some offensive tweets by individuals in India denigrating the religious personality.

“You have expressed views contrary to the party’s position on various matters, which is in clear violation of Rule 10 (a) of the constitution of the Bharatiya Janata Party. I have been directed to convey to you that pending further inquiry, you are suspended from the party and your responsibilities/assignments if any, with immediate effect,” read the notice issued to Sharma by the BJP’s central disciplinary committee.

In a letter to Jindal, Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta wrote that his view on social media to incite communal disharmony was against the basic thought of the party. “You worked against party ideology and policy. Therefore, your primary membership is ended with immediate effect and you are also suspended from the party,” it added.

Meanwhile, Sharma and Jindal posted a message apologizing for their comments and have sought police protection.

Apart from the fallout of the unease over the controversial statements, the action is also being construed as an attempt to rein in leaders who have been “crossing the party’s official line on sensitive matters” and often embarrassing the party. Sources in the BJP said that the strict action against Sharma and Jindal is being seen as a damage-control exercise.