Pakistan strongly condemns blasphemous remarks by BJP leader

State lawmaker from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party, T Raja Singh. — Courtesy The Quint

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan strongly condemned on Wednesday the highly provocative and sacrilegious remarks made against the Holy Prophet (PBUH) by another leader of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In a statement, Foreign Office Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad condemned, in the strongest possible terms, the blasphemous remarks made by Raja Singh, a BJP official and a member of the state legislative assembly of the Indian state of Telangana. This is the second time in the last three months that a senior BJP leader has made disrespectful comments against the Holy Prophet (PBUH), he added. The spokesperson said that these highly derogatory remarks have gravely hurt the feelings of the people of Pakistan and billions of Muslims around the world. The token and perfunctory disciplinary action taken by the BJP against the said official cannot assuage the pain and anguish caused to the Muslims of India and around the world, he said, adding that it is highly reprehensible that Singh was released on bail within hours of arrest and was welcomed by BJP zealots.

The FO spokesperson said that despite global outrage and denunciation of an earlier similar and equally pernicious act, the current incident once again highlights the present Indian regime’s obsessively spiteful demeanour towards Muslims and the worrying trajectory of Islamophobia in India.

The fact is that India is nothing more than an undeclared ‘Hindu Rashtra’ where Muslims are routinely denigrated, dispossessed and marginalized and their religious beliefs are trampled under majoritarian hegemonism, he added.

‘BJP fully supports Hindu zealots’

Asim Iftikhar said that the deafening silence of the top BJP leadership on the abhorrent incident manifestly reflects their approval and full support to the radical Hindu zealots within and beyond the BJP. Moreover, an extension of full state protection to the former BJP spokesperson, despite her highly condemnable remarks against the dignity of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), is reflective of the impunity being enjoyed by those attacking Islam in India, the spokesperson added.

FO demands decisive action

Pakistan demands the Indian government to take immediate and decisive action against the BJP members habitually involved in attacking Islam and targeting the dignity of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), read the statement. He also called on the international community to take urgent cognizance of the aggravating situation of Islamophobia in India and hold the current BJP government to account for its overt espousal of an anti-Muslim and anti-Islam agenda.

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