2022 Muhammad remarks controversy
The 2022 Muhammad remarks row began on 27 May 2022, when Nupur Sharma, a spokeswoman of India's ruling party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), made controversial remarks about the Islamic prophet Muhammad, on a Times Now debate on the Gyanvapi Mosque dispute, against the counterparty called the disputed Shivalinga as Fountain.[1] The comments were in reference to Muhammad and age of his third wife, Aisha, at the time of their marriage and the consummation of the marriage.[2] The controversy escalated on 1 June, when Naveen Kumar Jindal, the Delhi BJP media chief, made similar remarks on Twitter. By 4 June, the remarks had been widely shared on social media, and were trending among the top 10 hashtags in all the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Turkey.
The comments were strongly condemned internationally.[1] Within India, dozens of police cases were filed against Sharma and Jindal.[3] In some parts of the country, protests turned violent, leading to several deaths and injuries. The violence in Uttar Pradesh led to the punitive demolition of homes of some accused rioters.[4]
This article is of a series on |
Criticism of religion |
---|
Several Gulf countries, including allies and partners of India, issued strong condemnations and there were threats of boycotting Indian goods. The Indian government responded to the controversy, by stating that the remarks did not reflect the government's views, but rather came from "fringe elements".[5] BJP suspended Sharma and expelled Jindal from the party.[6]
Background
The controversy emerged amidst intensifying religious tensions in India — a number of scholars increasingly identify Hindutva, the guiding ideology of the ruling BJP, as a strand of authoritarian populism bulwarked on anti-minority sentiments.[7] Many have accused the BJP of instigating violence through divisive rhetoric against the country's Muslim minority.[8] Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist government has been accused in India of deliberately trying to marginalize the country's 200 million Muslim citizens.[9]
In the run up to the controversy, communal tensions were elevated due to the Gyanvapi Mosque dispute. Scholarly sources agree that the mosque was built by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, and a pre-existing Shiva temple was demolished for its construction.[10][11] While Hindus maintain that the temple existed at the site before the mosque, some Muslims claim such a shrine never existed.[12] Tensions surrounding this site have resulted in raucous debates on Indian TV channels.[13][14] There has been rampant hate on social media surrounding the mosque controversy.[14]
Comments about Muhammad
Naveen Kumar Jindal 🇮🇳 @NaveenJindalBJP Hindi:नबी के दुलारो से पूछना चाहता हूँ कि तुम्हारा नबी 53 वर्ष की आयु में 6 वर्ष की छोटी बच्ची आयशा के साथ शादी करता है फिर 56 वर्ष की आयु में 9 वर्ष की आयशा के साथ संबंध बनाता है…
क्या वह संबंध बलात्कार की श्रेणी में नहीं आता..?
I want to ask those with affection for the Prophet that at the age of 53, he married a 6-year-old girl Aisha and then at the age of 56, he consummated that relationship with 9-year-old Aisha ... does such relationship not come under the category of rape?
1 June 2022[15]
On 27 May 2022, Sharma participated in a debate on the Gyanvapi Mosque dispute on the Times Now television channel. According to Sharma,[16] in response to remarks (perceived to be derogatory to Hindu god Shiva) by her opposition speaker and by many Muslim personalities on social media, she replied regarding Muhammad and the age of one of his wives, Aisha, noting that Aisha was 6-years-old when married, and 9 when the marriage was consummated.
A day later, the video clip of her comments were shared by Mohammed Zubair, the co-founder of Alt News, a fact-checking website, on social media.[17] Sharma later alleged that it was a "heavily edited and selected video", which was denied by Pratik Sinha, the other co-founder of Alt News. Sinha stated that it was unedited and also included a longer clip which showed the context.[18][19] Times Now deleted the video of the programme from its YouTube channel the next day.[20] Nonetheless, Sharma defended her comments and accused Zubair of "heavily [editing]" the clip; she further claimed to have been receiving rape and death threats as a result, prompting Delhi Police to provide security cover. Alt News denied any responsibility for the reaction from the viewers after watching the video clip.[18][19][21] BBC News refused to publish the remarks, citing their "offensive" nature.[14]
Journalists note that Sharma has made similar comments on several TV shows.[22]
On 1 June, Naveen Kumar Jindal tweeted remarks perceived to be derogatory to Muhammed.[23] After the tweet attracted backlash in the Arab world, Jindal deleted the tweet and said he did not intend to demean any faith.[24] Shoaib Daniyal from Scroll.in and Vir Sanghvi from Hindustan Times state that even though there is a history of intense sectarianism in Indian media debates, politicians at a senior level usually refrain from crossing the line of self-restraint and criticising gods, prophets, and religions in televised debates. Nupur Sharma's involvement in such criticism in a debate was unusual according to them.[25][26]
Police cases
A police first information report (FIR) was registered against Sharma, in Mumbai's Pydhonie Police Station, on the next day. She was accused of "hurting religious sentiments".[27][28] A second FIR was registered in Thane (a suburb of Mumbai) on 30 May on the same grounds.[29] Another FIR was registered by the AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, in Hyderabad, for using “abusive, false and hurtful” words against Muhammad and the Islam religion.[19] Several other FIRs were registered at other locations in the country.[18][19][21]
Sharma's comments were also widely shared, internationally, on social media. By 4 June, "insult to Prophet Mohammed" was trending among the top 10 hashtags in all the countries of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Turkey.[30]
On 9 June, 2 weeks after the speech and the diplomatic event, Delhi Police registered cases against BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal, who served as the party's Delhi media cell head, who was expelled from BJP. The Delhi police have also filed a case against All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief and MP, Asaduddin Owaisi, and Hindutva leader, Yati Narsinghanand, who is out on bail in the Haridwar hate speech case.[31] Delhi Police has been accused of omnibus prosecution of many similar cases to make the original offence difficult to prosecute.[32]
Protests and violence
Protests and violent incidents were reported from several Indian cities. In Uttar Pradesh, several people were injured in Kanpur and Prayagraj cities. According to the UP Police, a total of 136 people were arrested over the protests in the state.[33]
Uttar Pradesh
On June 3, hundreds of Muslims protested the remarks in Kanpur after Friday prayers.[34][35][36]
Hayat Zafar Hashmi, chief of Maulana Mohammed Ali (MMA) Jauhar Fans Association called for a bandh (shutdown) of local shops in protest of comments from Sharma. They also planned to take out a procession. They forced the local shops to shut down at parade market after which the clash broke out between the business community and the protesters. Yogi Adityanath's government came down heavily on the protesters, lodging complaints and putting up posters against hundreds of protestors.[37]
The clashes occurred at Nai Sadak, Yateemkana and Parade area of Kanpur. During the clashes, the groups threw bombs and stones on each other.[38]
On 12 June, Reuters reported that the authorities in Uttar Pradesh had punitively demolished the homes of individuals accused of rioting in the state over the remarks.[4] BBC reported as well.[39]
Ranchi
On 10 June, peaceful protests and human chain were organised in Ranchi against the controversial comments.[40] According to the police the situation had escalated when a vehicle rammed into the group of protestors.[33] Incidents of stone pelting was reported near the Hanuman temple, after which the Police attempted to disperse the crowds and used lathis, later on the police opened gunfire with live rounds.[40] Two people died and more than 24 were injured. Both the dead had gunshot wounds on the head and neck.[41]
The family of a victim, 15-year-old Mudassir Alam, said that he was shot in the head while standing on the street near the Hindu Shree Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple. Three men had been firing gun shots and pelting stones at the protesters from the rooftop of the temple. Ranchi Deputy Commissioner said that the police fired after the mob turned violent and that the firing began from the mob. He did not clarify which mob he referred to and said the investigation is ongoing. CNN reviewed the video from the incident which showed the police firing indiscriminately on the unarmed protestors. A video from inside the temple showed the protestors throwing stones at the temple.[42]
On 11 June, some Hindutva groups in Ranchi called for shutdown of shops in the city.[41]
Howrah
On 10 June, in different parts of Howrah district, arson and violence in protest was reported after Friday Muslim prayers.[43] Railway tracks and highways were blocked by the protestors, causing hours of interruption of traffic. The situation later came under control, after police managed to clear the blockade. Internet services were also suspended in the district.[44]
Maharashtra
On 13 June, Saad Ansari, a Muslim youth was assaulted by a Muslim mob in Bhiwandi, Thane over a social media post allegedly supporting Nupur Sharma.[45][46][47] In his Instagram, Ansari had written, "A 50-year-old man marrying a 6-9-year-old girl is clearly child abuse. People do not know how to support him. Would you give your 6-year-old daughter to a 50-year-old man (think about it.)". Ansari was later arrested by the police for his post.[47]
On the night of 21 June 2022, Umesh Kolhe, a chemist in Amravati, was murdered while returning from his shop riding a scooter. He was assaulted with a sharp weapon by three bike-borne attackers, who slit his throat in the presence of his son and daughter-in-law. Five people have been arrested in connection with the murder. According to the police, the accused had committed the murder since Kolhe shared posts on WhatsApp groups, supporting Nupur Sharma.[48][49]
Kabul
On 18 June, militants carried out a terrorist attack at a Sikh gurdwara in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. The assailants killed a Taliban security officer before they entered the gurdwara with grenades and firearms and killed a Sikh worshipper and injuring seven others.[50][51] The Khorasan Province of the Islamic State claimed responsibility via the Amaq News Agency,[52] asserting it had been done as "an act of revenge" for the BJP official's remarks.[53]
Udaipur
In Udaipur, Rajasthan a tailor Kanhaiya Lal posted remarks on social media in support of Nupur Sharma. Police complaint was filed against him and he was arrested. Police-mediated sessions were held between Lal and the complainants after which Lal gave a written assurance that he did not require further assistance from the police. Later he received death threats and informed the police.[54]
On 28 June, Lal was killed by two Muslim men who subsequently shared a video of them carrying out the murder.[55] In a second video uploaded by them the two men admitted the murder and showed the cleavers they had used.[56] In the video, they also threatened to kill Prime Minister Narendra Modi.[57] Both the accused tried to abscond the city on a motorbike but were arrested by the police within hours on the same day.[54] Later five more men were detained.[58]
After the incident, curfew was imposed in some parts of the city and internet services to the state were suspended for a day.[59][60] Large gathering of people were banned for a month.[60] Additional police force was sent for maintenance of law and order.[61] The Rajasthan government announced a compensation of ₹31 lakh (US$37,000) for the family of the deceased and government jobs for both his sons.[54]
The assailants were identified as Mohammad Riyaz Attari and Ghouse Mohammad.[62] It was reported that Attari may have been planning to infiltrate the BJP through its loyalists, after photos of Attari attending BJP functions surfaced. In a 2020 post on Facebook, Attari had been described by a local Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader as a "dedicated worker of the BJP". On 2 July 2022, the Indian National Congress, the largest opposition party in India, alleged that Attari was a BJP member, using the social media pictures.[63][64][65][66]
International reactions
13 countries and OIC, a body of 57 countries, officially condemned remarks made by BJP leaders.[67] Qatar, Pakistan and Afghanistan reacted strongly to the comments made by the two spokespeople.[68] Kuwait and Iran have also summoned the Indian envoys and gave them protest notes.[69] There have been calls for boycott of Indian products in many parts of the Gulf region.[70][71][13]
Qatar
The Prime Minister of Qatar discussed the issue in the Qatari Cabinet's regular meeting. In a statement outlining the meeting, Qatar stated that the Cabinet underscored Qatar's condemnation and denunciation of the remarks made by an official in India's ruling party against Muhammad, which "constitute a grave insult to Islam, a violation of its sanctities, and a provocation to the feelings of Muslims all over the world, and completely contradict the values of tolerance, coexistence and civilized behavior".[72]
The Cabinet called the remarks irresponsible and expressed a categorical rejection. The cabinet called on everyone "to focus on bringing people together, strengthening the bonds of friendship and co-operation between countries, and respecting all religions, and to stay away from everything that would incite hatred, inflame feelings of hostility and sow discord among the peoples".[72]
The Government of Qatar summoned the Indian ambassador and asked for immediate condemnation and an apology for the remarks. The ambassador is reported to have replied that these were the views of "fringe elements" in India and in no way reflect the views of the Government of India.[73]
The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement, noting: "These insulting remarks would lead to incitement of religious hatred, and offend more than two billion Muslims around the world." The statement was published during Indian Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu's visit to Doha to meet Qatari Prime Minister.[9][74]
India's Ambassador to Qatar Deepak Mittal said the comments "do not, in any manner, reflect the views of the Government of India. These are the views of fringe elements." Mittal was summoned by Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which said it was "expecting a public apology and immediate condemnation of these remarks from the government of India".[75]
"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 marginalization, which will create a cycle of violence and hate," Qatar said.[69]
Qatar has also asked for public apology from Indian government, after which Indian social media users started making calls to "boycott Qatar Airways" while trending #BoycottQatarAirways and #BycottQatarAirways on Twitter. The latter backfired because of the spelling mistake.[76][77][78]
Other Gulf states
On 6 June, Saudi Arabia condemned the controversial remarks and called for “respect for beliefs and religions.” In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected "prejudice against the symbols of the Islamic religion” and against “all religious figures and symbols.”[79][80] The ministry supported the BJP's suspension of the spokeswoman.[81][82]
The UAE's foreign ministry condemned what it called "the blasphemous remarks made by India's ruling BJP's spokesperson that insulted Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)".[83] UAE's decision to join other Muslim-majority countries in condemning the remarks was called "quite significant" by BBC News, given the strength of India's alliance with the UAE.[14]
Kuwait demanded a "public apology for these hostile statements, the continuation of which would constitute a deterrent measure or punishment to increase extremism and hatred and undermine the elements of moderation".[69] A Kuwaiti supermarket removed Indian made products in protest.[84][85] The Indian embassy in Kuwait released a statement indicating that the Ambassador had met with the foreign office to share concerns "with regard to some offensive tweets by individuals in India".[86]
Oman's foreign ministry officials meanwhile met the Indian ambassadors and lodged official protest against India, saying such statements do not serve "peaceful coexistence".[87]
Jordan's foreign ministry condemned the remarks of Nupur Sharma by saying "Violations against Islamic and other religious figures, considering it as an act that feeds extremism and hatred". While supporting the decision of the BJP to suspend Nupur Sharma by saying "step in the right direction".[67]
The Parliamentary Committee on Awqaf and Tribals of Iraq strongly condemned controversial remarks by BJP leaders and summoned the Indian ambassador. The committee said "These abuses, malicious and disgraceful acts will have serious repercussions and, if not contained, may lead to dire consequences that will have unimaginable consequences for the peaceful coexistence, as well as increase strife and tensions between peoples."[67]
Other countries
President Arif Alvi said "such comments were the reflection of a growing trend of Islamophobia in India, which is home to millions of Muslims."[88] Pakistan also issued a démarche to the Indian Charge d' Affaires in Islamabad.[89] A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that the chargé d'affaires was told that "these remarks are totally unacceptable and have not only deeply hurt the sentiments of the people of Pakistan but Muslims across the world".[90]
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said: "We hope the relevant incident can be properly managed. China believes that different civilisations and different religions should respect each other and co-exist on an equal footing."[91][92]
US State Department spokesman Ned Price said "We condemn the offensive comments made by now-suspended BJP officials and we were glad to see that the party publicly condemns those comments" He also said "We regularly engage with the Indian government at senior levels on human rights concerns including freedom of religion or belief and we encourage India to promote respect for human rights."[93][94]
The interim Taliban government in Afghanistan strongly condemned the remarks by the BJP officials.[95] The government's spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, wrote on his Twitter handle, "The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan strongly condemns the use of derogatory words against the Prophet of Islam (Peace be upon him) by an official of the ruling party in India."[96] He also said, "We urge the Indian government not to allow such fanatics to insult the holy religion of Islam and provoke the feelings of Muslims."[97]
The Indonesian Foreign Ministry condemned what it called "unacceptable derogatory remarks" regarding Muhammad.[98][14]
A member of the Maldives' parliament, Adam Shareef filed for a motion that called on the country's president to condemn the remarks about Muhammad. The motion was defeated with 10 votes in favour and 33 votes against.[99] Later, the Maldives' government expressed "concern" over the remarks, but also welcomed BJP's action taken against the officials.[100]
The Malaysian foreign ministry condemned the remarks by the BJP spokesperson and summoned the Indian high commissioner. Welcomed the decision of the BJP to suspend the officials.[67]
Libya's foreign ministry expressed concern over the "insulting statements" by the spokesperson of the ruling party of India.[67]
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
The General Secretariat of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, a body of 57 countries had condemned the "abuse of the Prophet Muhammad" by the officials of India's ruling party. In an official statement it expressed "strong condemnation and denunciation of the recent insults issued by an official in the ruling party". "These abuses come in the context of the escalation of hatred and abuse of Islam in India and in the context of the systematic practices against Muslims and restrictions on them, especially in light of a series of decisions banning headscarves in educational institutions in a number of Indian states and demolitions of Muslim property, in addition to the increase in violence against them."[101]
Indian government response
The Indian government responded to international controversy, by stating that the controversial remarks did not reflect government position, but rather came from "fringe elements".[5] The BJP removed both Sharma and Jindal, and said "strong action has already been taken against those who made the derogatory remarks".[6] Instructions were issued to several BJP members to be "extremely cautious" when talking about religion on public platforms.[102]
On June 6, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called out the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)’s “motivated, misleading, and mischievous” comments on India. Arindam Bagchi, the Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said India "categorically rejects OIC Secretariat's unwarranted and narrow-minded comments. The government of India accords the highest respect to all religions. The offensive tweets and comments denigrating a religious personality were made by certain individuals. They do not, in any manner, reflect the views of the Government of India. Strong action has already been taken against these individuals by relevant bodies.”[103][104][105][106] Bagchi also responded to Pakistan's criticism by saying the world "has been witness to the systemic persecution of minorities including Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Ahmadiyyas by Pakistan”, calling on the country 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”.[107][101]
BJP response
The incident caused a diplomatic row, with protests from several Muslim countries, on 5 June. The BJP responded, by releasing a statement that it respects all religions. The controversy continued to intensify.[108] On June 5, Nupur Sharma published an apology on Twitter, but was suspended from the BJP, while Naveen Kumar Jindal was expelled from the party.[109][108] Some supporters of BJP reacted to these actions with anger, calling them "cowardly".[6]
On 7 June, Police security was provided to Sharma and her family, after she complained about receiving death threats and harassment.[110] On 17 June, a police team of Mumbai Police that had come to Delhi to question Sharma, was unable to find her despite camping for 5 days.[111]
Delhi BJP Media cell chief Navin Jindal was expelled from the party for his tweets. In the letter announcing the expulsion of Jindal, the Delhi State BJP chief said Jindal's "remarks vitiated communal harmony".[112]
On 11 June, the BJP president JP Nadda met diplomats from Middle East nations, at the BJP headquarters, in Delhi.[113]
All the BJP spokespersons were asked by the party to not make comments in public, on the controversy over Nupur's comments.[114]
See also
References
- ^ a b Saaliq, Sheikh (6 June 2022). "Muslim nations slam India over insulting remarks about Islam". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on 8 June 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
- ^ Jamil, Nabeela. "Why the debate around the age of Aisha, the Prophet's wife, is irrelevant". Scroll.in. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
- ^ "Nupur Sharma Statement: Remarks against Prophet; BJP acts against 2 office-bearers Nupur Sharma and Naveen Zindal; Latest developments". The Times of India. 6 June 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
- ^ a b "Indian state razes Muslim homes after riots over prophet remarks". Reuters. 12 June 2022.
- ^ a b "More Muslim countries take exception to BJP leaders' derogatory remarks about Holy Prophet". Dawn. 6 June 2022.
- ^ a b c Hannah Ellis-Petersen (6 June 2022), "Prophet Muhammad remarks embroil India in row with Gulf states", The Guardian, archived from the original on 7 June 2022, retrieved 7 June 2022
- ^ Hansen, Thomas Blom; Roy, Srirupa (2022). "What is New about 'New Hindutva'?". Saffron Republic: Hindu Nationalism and State Power in India. Cambridge University Press. pp. 1–2, 10. ISBN 9781009100489 – via cambridge.org.
- ^ Siladitya Ray. "India's Religious Tensions Spill Over As Middle Eastern Countries Condemn Comments About Islam". Forbes.
- ^ a b "India faces fury over officials' "Islamophobic" remarks on Prophet Muhammad". cbsnews.com. 6 June 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ Asher, Catherine B. (May 2020). "Making Sense of Temples and Tirthas: Rajput Construction Under Mughal Rule". The Medieval History Journal. 23 (1): 9–49. doi:10.1177/0971945820905289. ISSN 0971-9458.
- ^ Desai, Madhuri (2017). Banaras Reconstructed: Architecture and Sacred Space in a Hindu Holy City. University of Washington Press. ISBN 9780295741604.
- ^ Adam Lucente. "Explainer: India BJP Party spokesperson's comments on prophet spark backlash".
- ^ a b "India facing accusations of blasphemy after top officials make insulting remarks about Islam, Prophet Muhammad".
- ^ a b c d e Vikas Pandey. "Nupur Sharma: India's diplomatic woes over Prophet Muhammad row deepen". BBC News.
- ^ Mishra, Stuti (7 June 2022). "Prophet Muhammad comments by officials from India's ruling party spark Gulf backlash". Independent. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
- ^ "Mohammed Zubair's Tweet". Twitter. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ a b c "FIR filed against BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma for comments about Prophet Mohammad", Scroll.in, 29 May 2022, archived from the original on 5 June 2022, retrieved 5 June 2022
- ^ a b c d "'Remarks on Prophet': After Thane, Hyderabad Police Files FIR Against BJP's Nupur Sharma", The Wire, 1 June 2022
- ^ "Times Now deletes video of Navika Kuamr's debate, issues clarification amidst controversy over derogatory comments on Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)". Janta Ka Reporter 2.0. 28 May 2022.
- ^ a b Pratik Sinha, twitter thread, 28 May 2022.
- ^ Daniyal, Shoaib. "The India Fix: How will Nupur Sharma's hate speech change Indian politics?". Scroll.in. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
- ^ Nair, Veena (5 June 2022). "BJP suspends Nupur Sharma, expels Naveen Jindal amid global backlash". The Sisat Daily.
- ^ "Delhi BJP leader suspended after inflammatory tweet causes wide discontent in Arab world". The Peninsula.
- ^ Daniyal, Shoaib (13 June 2022). "The India Fix: How will Nupur Sharma's hate speech change Indian politics?". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 15 June 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
.. Communalism has seen a sharp intensification in the past few years. Even taking that into account, what Sharma and Jindal did was quite unprecedented. The abuse of gods and prophets has not been a part of Indian politics – and certainly never at a level as senior as party spokesperson or at a forum with as wide a reach as a national television channel. ..
- ^ Sanghvi, Vir (13 June 2022). "The Taste With Vir: Did Nupur Sharma do anything wrong? What about free speech?". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 15 June 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
.. b) There is tacit agreement among responsible politicians in India that, in the interests of maintaining communal harmony, nobody will speak contemptuously about religions on public platforms. The likes of Yogi Adityanath come dangerously close to breaking that consensus but they usually stop just short. The anti-Hindu, anti-Muslim, anti-Christian etc remarks are usually made by fringe politicians, not by official spokespersons of the ruling party. ..
- ^ "BJP's Nupur Sharma booked over remark on Prophet Muhammad", The Free press Journal, 29 May 2022, ProQuest 2671096342
- ^ "Mumbai police book BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma for remarks on Prophet", The Indian Express, 29 May 2022, ProQuest 2670791553
- ^ "Maharashtra: Second FIR against BJP spokesperson over comments on Prophet Mohammed", The Indian Express, 31 May 2022
- ^ "Remarks against Prophet Mohammed: Did West Asia social media outrage force BJP to take action?", The Tribune (Chandigarh), 5 June 2022
- ^ "2 Weeks After Prophet Row, Case Against Suspended BJP Leader, A Owaisi". NDTV.com. 9 June 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- ^ "False equivalence: On Prophet remarks and Delhi Police FIRs". The Hindu Editorial.
- ^ a b "Remarks against the Prophet: 2 killed in Ranchi as protests erupt across country". The Indian Express. 11 June 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ "Clashes in Kanpur over 'insult' to Prophet Mohammed during TV debate". Deccan Herald.
- ^ "Blasphemous remarks: Hindu-Muslim clashes erupt in India". The News International.
- ^ "Kanpur Violence: At Least 40 Injured, Police Register 3 FIRs Against 500 People". The Wire. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ Geeta Pandey (7 June 2022), "Nupur Sharma: The Indian woman behind offensive Prophet Muhammad comments", BBC News
- ^ "Kanpur Violence: Police Register 3 FIRs Against 1,000 Unknown Persons; All 55 Named Accused Muslim". The Wire. 4 June 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ "Nupur Sharma: Houses of Muslims demolished in Uttar Pradesh after protests". BBC News. 13 June 2022.
- ^ a b "Ranchi: Two Allegedly Killed, 10 Injured As Protests Over Remarks on Prophet Turn Violent". The Wire. 10 June 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
- ^ a b "Ranchi under heavy police cover as two die of gunshot wounds during Prophet row protest". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ Ritchie, Hannah; Pratap, Rishabh; Mogul, Rhea; Whiteman, Hilary (23 June 2022). "A Muslim teenager was killed at a protest in India. His family wants answers". CNN. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
- ^ "Explained: Friday protests by Muslims against remarks on the Prophet, and their meaning". NEWS9LIVE. 10 June 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
- ^ "Bengal: Violence erupts during protests over Prophet remarks, Guv appeals for peace". ThePrint. 10 June 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ Thakur, Pradeep (13 June 2022). "Thane: Mob assaults youth for supporting Nupur Sharma, Bhiwandi police to take action - Thane News". The Times of India. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
- ^ "Thane: Muslim youth thrashed for supporting Nupur Sharma on social media in Kesar Bagh area of Bhiwandi". Free Press Journal. 13 June 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
- ^ a b "Maharashtra Police capitulate to mob, arrest Muslim youth for supporting Nupur Sharma, questioning own religion". Firstpost. 13 June 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
- ^ "Murdered Amravati Man Sent Nupur Sharma Post In Group With Muslims: Cops". NDTV.com. 2 July 2022. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
- ^ "NIA to probe Amravati killing, police say 'mastermind' among 2 new arrests". The Indian Express. 3 July 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
- ^ "ISIS says it carried out Sikh temple attack in Kabul". The National. 19 June 2022. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ "Afghanistan gurdwara attack: Sikhs say 'We don't feel safe'". BBC News. 18 June 2022. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ "IS claims attack on Sikh temple in Afghan capital of Kabul". CTVNews. 19 June 2022. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ Sahar Akbarzai, Saleem Mehsud and Heather Chen (19 June 2022). "Islamic State says attack on Sikh temple is revenge for Prophet insults". CNN. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ a b c "Watch: How Men In Video Of Udaipur Murder Were Caught". NDTV.com. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
- ^ "Udaipur: Youth beheaded days after sharing post for Nupur Sharma, CM Gehlot vows action". Hindustan Times. 28 June 2022. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
- ^ "Udaipur Tailor Murder A Terror Attack; Mourning Wife Explains His Last Days". NDTV.com. 29 June 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
- ^ "Udaipur: Two Arrested for Brutal Murder of Tailor; Prohibitory Orders Across State". The Wire. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
- ^ "Udaipur Tailor Killer Has Pak Links, Say Cops; 5 More Detained". NDTV.com. 29 June 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
- ^ "Udaipur Tailor Kanhaiya Lal Killed On Camera, 2 Arrested: 10 Facts". NDTV.com. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
- ^ a b "Tailor's Murder: Internet Suspended In Rajasthan For 24 Hours". NDTV.com. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
- ^ "Don't Watch, Says Rajasthan Cop About Video Of Tailor's Murder". NDTV.com. 28 June 2022. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
There are conflicting reports on whether the tailor was beheaded.
- ^ Backhouse, Andrew. "Tailor beheaded in India, protests erupt, internet cut off". Retrieved 30 June 2022.
- ^ "Udaipur assailants may have plotted to infiltrate Rajasthan BJP Exclusive". India Today. 1 July 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
- ^ "As Photos Emerge of Udaipur Killer's Links to BJP Leaders, Party Moves to Damage Control Mode". The Wire. 2 July 2022. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
- ^ "Tailor's murder: Congress alleges one accused is a BJP member". telegraphindia.com. 2 July 2022. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
- ^ "Udaipur killer is a BJP karyakarta, claims Congress". Mint. 2 July 2022. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "The Full List of 20 Countries and Bodies That Have Condemned the BJP Leaders' Remarks". The Wire. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
- ^ "Reactions to Blasphemy by BJP spokesperson". CBC News.
- ^ a b c "Qatar, Kuwait, Iran Summon Indian Envoys Over BJP Leaders' Remarks on Prophet Mohammed", The Wire, 6 June 2022
- ^ "Watch: Kuwait store removes Indian products after 'Islamophobic' Prophet remark". The Indian Express. 7 June 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
- ^ "Diplomatic storm over comments against the Prophet by India's ruling party officials". Saudi Gazette.
- ^ a b "Cabinet underscores Qatar's condemnation of remarks against Prophet". Gulf-Times (in Arabic). 8 June 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ ""Fringe Elements": India Dismisses BJP Leaders' Remarks On Prophet", NDTV, 6 June 2022
- ^ "Gulf Nations Outraged By BJP Leaders' Prophet Remarks: 5-Point Explainer". NDTV.com. 6 June 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ Haidar, Suhasini; Bhattacherjee, Kallol (5 June 2022). "Hate remarks against the Prophet | West Asian nations demand public apology from Indian government". The Hindu.
- ^ "'Vashudev' Is the Tragic Poster Boy of the Last 8 Years of Modi's Rule". The Wire. 8 June 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "Boycott Qatar Airways trends on Twitter due to this reason". Free Press Journal. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ "#BoycottQatarAirways trends on Twitter; a spelling mistake, spoof video make it hilarious". DNA INDIA. 8 June 2022.
- ^ "Saudi Arabia condemns controversial remarks of BJP leader against Prophet". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 6 June 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ "Indonesia, Saudi, UAE and Afghanistan condemn controversial remarks of BJP leader against Prophet". The Economic Times. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ "Prophet Mohammed comment row: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Afghanistan condemn controversial remarks of BJP leader". Free Press Journal. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ "Saudi Council of Senior Scholars slams Indian ruling party leader's remarks against Prophet". Saudigazette. 6 June 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ "UAE condemns blasphemous remarks against Prophet Muhammad in India". gulfnews.com.
- ^ "Indian products pulled by Kuwait supermarket in row over Prophet remarks". South China Morning Post. Agence France-Presse.
- ^ "Kuwait supermarket pulls Indian products as row grows over Prophet remarks". France 24. 6 June 2022.
- ^ Mohammed Baleegh (6 June 2022). "Govt penalised culprits for offensive tweets against minorities: Indian embassy in Kuwait". The Siasat Daily.
- ^ "Now, Oman raises issue of ex-BJP leaders' remarks on Prophet Mohammed, meets envoy". Hindustan Times. 6 June 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- ^ "Pakistan slams BJP for remarks against Holy Prophet". Dawn.
- ^ "Pakistan issues demarche to India over blasphemous remarks". The Express Tribune. 6 June 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
- ^ "Pakistan sends demarche to Indian diplomat over blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)". www.geo.tv. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
- ^ 牛弹琴 (18 June 2022). "印度 最近惹上了两个大麻烦" [India has been in two big troubles lately]. Phoenix Television. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022.
- ^ "China wades into Nupur Sharma row, hopes incident 'can be properly managed'". The Hindu. 13 June 2022. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
- ^ "US condemns controversial remarks of suspended BJP leaders on Prophet". India Today. 17 June 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
- ^ "Prophet remark row: US condemns statements by ex-BJP spokespersons". The Indian Express. 17 June 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
- ^ "Saudi, Bahrain and Afghanistan condemn controversial remarks of BJP leader". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 6 June 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ Kakar, Javed Hamim (6 June 2022). "Kabul condemns blasphemous remarks of BJP official". Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ "Saudi, Bahrain and Afghanistan condemn controversial remarks of BJP leader". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 6 June 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ "More nations condemn Prophet remarks even as Centre troubleshoots". India Today. 6 June 2022.
- ^ "Maldives parliament rejects motion that sought condemnation of BJP leaders' remarks on Prophet". 6 June 2022.
- ^ "UAE, Jordan, Maldives join list of nations condemning comments on Prophet". Hindustan Times. 6 June 2022.
- ^ a b "Remarks on Prophet Mohammad: As criticism grows, India rejects OIC's comments as 'narrow-minded'". The Indian Express. 6 June 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ "Indian police arrest youth leader from Modi's party for anti-Muslim comments". Dawn.com. Reuters. 8 June 2022.
- ^ ""Narrow-Minded": India's Reply To Islamic Nations' Group Amid Gulf Fury". NDTV. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ "India rejects OIC's 'unwarranted & narrow-minded' comments: MEA". The Economic Times. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ "India rejects OIC's comments over controversial remarks against Prophet". The Hindu. 6 June 2022. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ "'Narrow-minded': India's response to Islamic nations' group after row over BJP leader's Prophet remarks". India Today. 6 June 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ Kaushik, Krishn (7 June 2022). "Row over remarks on the Prophet: UAE and Maldives join Islamic world criticism; India hits back at OIC, Pakistan". The Indian Express. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
- ^ a b "On Camera, Cops Fire In Air In Ranchi Amid Protests Over Prophet Comments". NDTV.com. 10 June 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
- ^ "India's ruling party suspends official over comments about Islam", CNN, 6 June 2022
- ^ "Suspended BJP Spokesperson Nupur Sharma Provided Security by Delhi Police". The Wire. 7 June 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ "BJP's Nupur Sharma Not Found, Mumbai Cops Hunt For Her In Delhi: Sources". NDTV.com. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
- ^ ""My Family Is In Danger": A Plea By BJP Leader Expelled For Prophet Remark". NDTV.com. 12 June 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "Foreign Envoys Set To Interact With BJP Chief JP Nadda Tomorrow". NDTV.com. 11 June 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ "Nupur Sharma fallout: BJP spokespersons, leaders in states asked to steer clear of rows". The Indian Express. 13 June 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
- 2022 controversies
- 2022 in Indian politics
- 2022 in Islam
- 2022 riots
- May 2022 events in India
- June 2022 events in India
- Islam in India
- Islam-related controversies in Asia
- Riots and civil disorder in India
- Religious controversies in India
- Foreign relations of India
- Twitter controversies
- Blasphemy
- Hate speech
- Bharatiya Janata Party
- Muhammad