West Asian countries have conveyed strongly to the Indian government their condemnation of comments from now-suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) functionaries on Prophet Mohammed, which led to national as well as international outrage, leading to New Delhi saying those were views of "fringe groups".
Qatar, Kuwait, and Iran summoned Indian ambassadors there and conveyed their condemnation and expectation of public apology and immediate official condemnation of comments on Prophet Mohammed.
Besides these countries, Pakistan, the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain also issed statements on the matter.
Pakistan also summoned India's charge d'affaires in the country on Monday and conveyed its "categorical rejection and strong condemnation" of comments on the Prophet.
The Government of India and the BJP have been working on conciliatory measures since Monday, which involve suspension of its functionaries by BJP and the issuance of conciliatory statements by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) that distances the government from any of these comments and attribute them to "fringe groups". The BJP on Sunday also issued a statement saying it denounces insults to any religious personalities and it respects all religions.
Here we explain how New Delhi has responded to all the international condemnation.
1. The Qatar's government acknowledged the BJP's suspension of its functionaries but said it was not enough and said it expects a public apology and immediate condemnation from the Government of India. It also warned of global consequences.
The MEA in a statement said the Indian Ambassador to Qatar told the host country that the comments were made by "fringe elements" and "strong action" had already been taken against them.
It said, "Strong action has already been taken against those who made the derogatory remarks. A statement has also been issued by concerned quarters emphasizing respect for all religions, denouncing insult to any religious personality or demeaning any religion or sect."
2. Lolwah Alkhater, the The Assistant Foreign Minister of Qatar, said "Islamophobic discourse has reached dangerous levels" in India and repeated the call for official condemnation, whose absence she said would be a wordwide insult to Muslims.
3. Kuwait issued a statement similar to Qatar, saying continuation of such comments would constitute to increasing exttremism and hatred.
"It demands a public apology for those hostile statements, the continuation of which without deterrence or punishment will constitute to Increasing aspects of extremism and hatred and undermining elements of moderation, noting that issuing such statements reflects a clear ignorance of the message of peace and tolerance of our Islamic religion, and the great role Islam has played in building civilizations in all countries of the world, including India," said Kuwait's foreign ministry, as per a Google translation of their statement.
The MEA issued a statement almost verbatim to the one issued after the envoy was summoned in Qatar, repeating that these comments were from "fringe elements" and that they had already faced action in a reference to BJP's suspension.
4. Iran's foreign ministry summoned the Indian ambassador there on Sunday to protest against "insult against Prophet of Islam in an Indian TV show", according to Iranian media reports.
India's Ambassador to Iran Gaddam Dharmendra told Iranian Foreign Ministry's Director-General for South Asia that he "refrets" the comments on Prophet Mohammed and these comments do not reflect the position of the Government of India, according to Iran International news channel.
5. Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry on Monday expressed its condemnation and denunciation of the comments, saying those insulted Prophet Mohammed.
The ministry reiterated its "permanent rejection of prejudice against the symbols of the Islamic religion".
6. Bahrain's foreign affairs ministry welcomed the BJP's suspension of its members.
It further stressed "the importance of respecting all religious beliefs, symbols, and personalities, and the concerted efforts of the international community to spread the values of moderation, tolerance, and dialogue between religions and civilizations, and to confront extremist ideas that feed sedition and religious, sectarian, or racial hatred."
7. India rejects OIC, Pakistan's statements
While MEA's tone was conciliatory regarding Qatar, Kuwait, and Iran, it rejected statements by OIC and Pakistan.
In response to Pakistan's Prime Minsiter Shehbaz Sharif's comments on the matter, the MEA highlighted the "absurdity of a serial violator of minority rights commenting on the treatment of minorities in another nation".
It said, "The world has been witness to the systemic persecution of minorities including Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Ahmadiyyas by Pakistan.
"The Government of India accords the highest respect to all religions. This is quite unlike Pakistan where fanatics are eulogized and monuments built in their honour.
"We call on Pakistan to focus on the safety, security and well-being of its minority communities instead of engaging in alarmist propaganda and attempting to foment communal disharmony in India."
The MEA said India "categorically rejects" OIC's "unwarranted and narrow-minded comments".
Besides repating that the comments on Prophet are not endorsed by the government, the MEA said, "It is regrettable that OIC Secretariat has yet again chosen to make motivated, misleading and mischievous comments. This only exposes its divisive agenda being pursued at the behest of vested interests.
"We would urge the OIC Secretariat to stop pursuing its communal approach and show due respect to all faiths and religions."
8. In statements in response to summoning of envoys in Qatar and Kuwait, the MEA also said "vested interests" are working against India.
Vested interested that are working against India-Kuwait and India-Qatar have been inciting people using these derogatory comments and we should work together against such mischivious elements who aim to undercut bilateral ties, said the MEA.
9. Oman's highest religous authority, the Grand Mufti, called for the Muslims across the world to united against the comments made by now-suspended BJP functionaries.
"The insolent and obscene rudeness of the official spokesman for the ruling extremist party in India against the Messenger of Islam, peace be upon him, and his pure wife, Mother of the Believers Aisha, may God be pleased with her, is a war against every Muslim in the east and west of the earth, and it is a matter that calls for all Muslims to rise as one nation," said The Grand Mufti, the highest Islamic religious authority in Oman, as per a Google Translation of his tweet.
10. There is outrage among people in West Asian countries against the comments against the Prophet, which has extended to calls of boycott of Indian goods.
"A wave of anger in Arab countries, rejecting a tweet offensive to the Holy Prophet published by a prominent politician close to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and calls for a boycott," reported Al Jazeera Arabic.10. Amid calls of boycot, stores in Kuwait removed Indian products from their shelves in protest against comments on Prophet Mohammed, as per AFP.
