Arab World Starts Boycotting Indian Products After Blasphemous Comments

The Arab World has started boycotting Indian products after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal made blasphemous remarks against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Many supermarkets across the Middle East have removed Indian products from their shelves as the Arab World reacts with anger to the blasphemous remarks by Indian politicians.

The #الا ـ رسول ـ الله ـ يا ـ مودي (#AnyoneButTheProphetOModi) has become the top trend in a number of Arab countries with more than 0.5 million tweets. Users denounced the increasing hatred against Islam and Muslims in India and asked for a boycott of Indian products.

Most users have labelled the inflammatory remarks an extension of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Islamophobic policies.

Widespread condemnation

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar summoned the Indian Ambassador and handed him an official note on Qatar’s total rejection and condemnation of the remarks by the official of India’s ruling party against the Prophet (PBUH).

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Summons the Indian Ambassador and Hands Him an Official Note on Qatar’s Total Rejection and Condemnation of the Remarks of an Official in the Ruling Party in India Against Prophet Mohammed#MOFAQatar pic.twitter.com/rp7kMnWXdu

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) June 5, 2022

The Foreign Affairs Ministry of Kuwait issued a statement saying it summoned the Indian Ambassador, who was handed an official protest note that expressed the country’s “categorical rejection and condemnation of the offensive statements” against the Prophet (PBUH), Islam and Muslims, issued by officials of India’s ruling party.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry also summoned the Indian envoy to convey the strong protest of the Iranian government and people over the sacrilegious comments against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the Iranian Foreign Ministry website reported.

Saudi Arabia also condemned the statement of the spokesperson of BJP insulting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). In a statement issued on Sunday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its condemnation and denunciation of the statements made by the BJP spokesperson, saying that it is offensive to the Prophet (PBUH).

The Grand Mufti of Oman Sheikh Al-Khalili also called for Muslims to rise as one nation and labelled the statement by the Indian politician a war against every Muslim.

إن الاجتراء الوقح البذيء من الناطق الرسمي باسم الحزب المتطرف الحاكم في الهند على رسول الإسلام ﷺ وعلى زوجه الطاهرة أم المؤمنين عائشة رضي الله عنها هو حرب على كل مسلم في مشارق الأرض ومغاربها، وهو أمر يستدعي أن يقوم المسلمون كلهم قومة واحدة pic.twitter.com/T58Ya1dGox

— أحمد بن حمد الخليلي (@AhmedHAlKhalili) June 4, 2022

Pakistan condemns derogatory remarks

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called out the comments made by the BJP leader and urged the world to take notice. In a tweet, the premier said that India under Modi is trampling religious freedoms & persecuting Muslims.

He said the love of Muslims for the Prophet (PBUH) was supreme and they could sacrifice their lives for the Holy figure.

I condemn in strongest possible words hurtful comments of India's BJP leader about our beloved Prophet (PBUH). Have said it repeatedly India under Modi is trampling religious freedoms & persecuting Muslims. World should take note & severely reprimand India. Our love for the >

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) June 5, 2022

In a press statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Pakistan condemns in the strongest possible terms, the highly derogatory remarks recently made by two senior officials of India’s ruling party BJP, that disrespect the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). These totally unacceptable remarks have not only deeply hurt the sentiments of the people of Pakistan but of billions of Muslims around the world, the statement added.

It added, “BJP’s attempted clarification and belated and perfunctory disciplinary action against these individuals cannot assuage the pain and anguish they have caused to the Muslim world. Muslims residing in India are equally outraged by the completely repugnant comments by the two BJP officials. The ensuing communal violence in Kanpur and in other parts of India bears testimony to this fact.”

“Pakistan urges India to ensure that decisive and demonstrable action is taken against those responsible for making derogatory remarks and attacking the dignity of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH),”, it added further.

In a tweet, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari condemned the derogatory remarks and said that its time for the international community to stop the ‘Hindutva’ inspired Islamophobia in India.

We strongly condemn the completely repugnant & derogatory remarks by BJP officials about our beloved Prophet Muhammad PBUH. Totally unacceptable; hurting sentiments of billions of Muslims around the world. Time for intl comm to stop the ‘Hindutva’ inspired Islamophobia in India https://t.co/JZmmPLyQwx

— Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (@BBhuttoZardari) June 5, 2022

Former Prime Minister and Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf also condemned the “hateful attack” by the BJP spokesperson and called the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to take strong action against India.

Strongly condemn the hateful attack by a BJP spokesperson on our beloved Holy Prophet PBUH. Modi govt has been deliberately following a policy of provocation & hatred towards Muslims in India including inciting vigilante violence against them.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) June 5, 2022

BJP suspends party membership of offenders

With the boycott campaign sweeping across the Arab World, the BJP swung into action and suspended both Sharma and Jindal over their inflammatory remarks.

In a statement, India’s ruling party said that it respects all religions. “The BJP strongly denounces insults of any religious personalities of any religion,” it added.