Saudi Arabia, UAE condemn BJP leader's controversial remarks against Prophet Mohammed

File image: Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman speaks during a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, India. (Image: Reuters)

The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia on June 6 joined Qatar, Iran, and Kuwait to express its condemnation of the controversial remarks made by a BJP leader against Prophet Mohammed; the Islamic nations have called for "respect for beliefs and religions".

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its condemnation and denunciation of the statements made by the BJP spokesperson, saying it insulted Prophet Mohammed.

The ministry reiterated its "permanent rejection of prejudice against the symbols of the Islamic religion." It also rejected anything that give rise to prejudice against "all religious figures and symbols."

While welcoming the measures taken by the BJP to suspend the spokeswoman, the ministry reaffirmed the "Kingdom's position calling for respect for beliefs and religions".

Qatar, Iran and Kuwait on Sunday summoned India's Ambassadors and the key Gulf nations expressed their strong protest and condemnation of the controversial remarks of a BJP leader against Prophet Mohammed.

Seeking to defuse a diplomatic row, spokespersons of the Indian Embassy in Qatar and Kuwait said on Sunday that the Ambassadors "conveyed that the tweets do not, in any manner, reflect the views of the Government of India. These are the views of fringe elements."

In New Delhi, the BJP on Sunday suspended its national spokesperson Nupur Sharma and expelled its Delhi media head Naveen Kumar Jindal after their controversial remarks against the Prophet.

Amid protests by Muslim groups over the remarks, the party also issued a statement aimed at assuaging the concerns of minorities and distancing itself from these members, asserting that it respects all religions and strongly denounces the insult of any religious personality.

The controversial remarks also sparked a Twitter trend in the Arab world calling for a boycott of Indian products.

Amid demonstrations by Muslim groups and the sharp reaction from countries like Kuwait, Qatar and Iran, the BJP issued a statement asserting that it respects all religions and strongly denounces insult of any religious personality. Sharma's comments, made in a TV debate nearly 10 days back, and Jindal's now-deleted tweets sparked a Twitter trend calling for a boycott of Indian products in some countries.

Qatar and Kuwait summoned the Indian ambassadors and handed over to them protest notes on what the Gulf countries called categorical "rejection and condemnation" of the controversial remarks of the BJP leader against Prophet Muhammad. The foreign ministries of the two Gulf countries welcomed the statement issued by the ruling party in India in which it announced the suspension of the leader.

''The Indian ambassador to Iran expressed regret and called any insult to the Prophet of Islam unacceptable,'' it said. The Indian Ambassador in Qatar said in a tweet that the controversial tweets do not, in any manner, reflect the views of the government of India. "These are the views of fringe elements," the Indian Embassy quoting him said. The Indian Ambassador in Qatar said in a tweet that the controversial tweets do not, in any manner, reflect the views of the government of India. "These are the views of fringe elements," the Indian Embassy quoting him said.