The comments also landed India in diplomatic trouble, with nearly 16 countries including Muslim-dominated Gulf nations condemning the remarks by Sharma. Qatar was one of the first nations to condemn the comments on June 5 when it summoned the Indian ambassador to Qatar Deepak Mittal and demanded a public apology from the government over the comments. India responded by calling Sharma a "fringe" voice and distanced the party for the comments. By the time, however, several other Gulf and Islamic nations including Kuwait, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, UAE, Jordan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Maldives, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Turkey Malaysia and bodies like the Mecca authorities, Organisation of Islamic Cooperations and others condemned the comments. Following the international outrage, BJP suspended Sharma as well as Delhi party unit chief Naveen Jindal for their inciteful comments.