New Delhi/Tehran: Weeks ahead of its Foreign Minister’s India visit, Tehran has summoned the Indian envoy to its Foreign Ministry over the comments of now expelled and suspended BJP leaders on Prophet Mohammad.
Prior to Iran, Qatar and Kuwait had also summoned Ambassadors of India and handed over them protest notes.
The Indian Embassy in Qatar had already issued a statement, saying that the “Ambassador had a meeting in the Foreign Office in which concerns were raised with regard to some offensive tweets by individuals in India denigrating the religious personality. 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 Qatar government, in a statement, said: “State of Qatar welcomed the statement issued by the ruling party in India in which it announced the suspension of the party’s official from practicing his activities in the party due to his remarks that angered all Muslims around the world.”
Noting that Qatar is expecting a public apology and immediate condemnation of these remarks by the Indian government of India, it pointed out “that allowing such Islamophobic remarks to continue without punishment, constitutes a grave danger to the protection of human rights and may lead to further prejudice and marginalisation, which will create a cycle of violence and hate”.