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Indian police arrest Harshit Srivastava following insulting comments to the Prophet Muhammad on social media
Police in northern India have arrested a young leader of the ruling Hindu Nationalist Party, following he posted anti-Muslim comments on social media.
This comes in the wake of insulting comments made to the Prophet Muhammad by another official in the same party, which sparked a wave of diplomatic outrage internationally.
On Wednesday, officials said Harshit Srivastava, a young BJP leader, was arrested in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, following sectarian tensions last week during a demonstration by Muslims protesting once morest comments offensive to Islam.
“We have arrested the local politician for making anti-Muslim comments,” senior police official Prashant Kumar said, adding that at least 50 people had been detained in connection with the tension in Kanpur.
Srivastava’s lawyer was not present for comment.
There were reports of sporadic unrest in other parts of the country following insulting comments to the Prophet Muhammad made by Bharatiya Janata spokeswoman Nupur Sharma in a televised interview.
The ruling party announced that Sharma had been suspended and another speaker, Naveen Kumar Jindal, had been expelled for comments he made regarding Islam on social media.
“The BJP strongly condemns insulting any religious figures who are held in esteem by the followers of any religion. The party also stresses its rejection of any ideology that insults or degrades any sect or religion. The BJP does not promote such people or such philosophy,” a statement said. .
Local anger gained new momentum following leaders from many Islamic countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan, demanded the Indian government to apologize, as well as summon the ambassadors of India to those countries to protest once morest comments offensive to Islam.
picture released, AFP
Hate speech and attacks once morest Muslims have risen sharply since Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in 2014.
The 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation said in a statement that the abuse came in a context charged with hatred once morest Islam in India, as well as systematic harassment once morest Muslims.
India’s foreign ministry said on Monday that the offensive tweets and comments did not in any way express the government’s views.
This controversy has become a diplomatic challenge to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has worked in recent years to strengthen his relations with oil-rich Muslim countries.
Several members of his ruling Hindu nationalist party were instructed to “use extreme caution” when speaking on public platforms.
Observers said that the controversy may cast a shadow over some of India’s recent successes.
Critics say Sharma and Jindal’s comments reflect the country’s deep religious polarization in recent years. Hate speech and attacks once morest Muslims have risen sharply since the BJP came to power in 2014.
India’s trade with the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman and the UAE, is worth $87 billion in 2020-2021. Millions of Indians also live and work in these countries and send millions of dollars in remittances back home. The region is also India’s largest source of energy imports.
picture released, Getty Images
Demonstrators express their refusal to insult the Prophet Muhammad in India
Members of an Islamic rights group in India said it was the first time that influential foreign leaders had denounced abuses once morest India’s minority community.
“Finally our voices are being heard. Only world leaders can pressure the Modi government and his party to change its approach towards Muslims,” said Ali Asghar Muhammad, who runs a rights group defending Muslims in Mumbai.
