Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Afghanistan condemn controversial remarks of BJP leader against Prophet
Dubai, Jun 6: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Afghanistan on Monday joined several Muslim nations to condemn the controversial remarks of a BJP leader against Prophet Mohammed, stressing the importance of respecting all religious beliefs.
In a statement, Saudi Arabia's foreign affairs ministry expressed its condemnation and denunciation of the statements made by the BJP spokesperson, saying it insulted Prophet Mohammed.
The ministry reiterated its "permanent rejection of prejudice against the symbols of the Islamic religion."
It also rejected anything that gives rise to prejudice against "all religious figures and symbols."
While welcoming the measures taken by the BJP to suspend the spokeswoman, the ministry reaffirmed the "Kingdom's position calling for respect for beliefs and religions".
In New Delhi, the BJP on Sunday suspended its national spokesperson Nupur Sharma and expelled its Delhi media head Naveen Kumar Jindal after their controversial remarks against the Prophet.
Amid protests by Muslim groups over the remarks, the party also issued a statement aimed at assuaging the concerns of minorities and distancing itself from these members, asserting that it respects all religions and strongly denounces the insult of any religious personality.
Bahrain's foreign affairs ministry welcomed the decision of the BJP to suspend the party's spokeswoman, stressing "the need to denounce any reprehensible insults against the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, as a provocation to Muslims' feelings and incitement to religious hatred."
The ministry in a statement stressed "the importance of respecting all religious beliefs, symbols, and personalities, and the concerted efforts of the international community to spread the values of moderation, tolerance, and dialogue between religions and civilizations, and to confront extremist ideas that feed sedition and religious, sectarian, or racial hatred."
The interim Afghan government, led by the Taliban, strongly condemned the derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammad, Pajhwok News, Afghanistan's largest independent news agency, said.
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," the agency quoted government Spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid as saying in a tweet.
We urge the Indian government not to allow such fanatics to insult the holy religion of Islam and provoke the feelings of Muslims," he said.
Qatar, Iran and Kuwait on Sunday summoned India's Ambassadors and the key Gulf nations expressed their strong protest and condemnation of the controversial remarks of a BJP leader against Prophet Mohammed.
Pakistan said on Monday that it has summoned the Indian charg d'affaires to convey its categorical rejection and condemnation of the controversial remarks.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday also condemned the "hurtful" remarks against the prophet of Islam.
Seeking to defuse a diplomatic row, spokespersons of the Indian Embassy in Qatar and Kuwait said on Sunday that the Ambassadors "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 controversial remarks also sparked a Twitter trend in the Arab world calling for a boycott of Indian products.
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TN assembly polls: Battle lines drawn, AIADMK switches to campaign mode
Chennai (PTI): With a month to go for Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, the battle lines are clearly drawn and the AIADMK camp is making apparent efforts to get a headstart ahead of the ruling DMK bloc by quickly finalising the seat-sharing deal, identifying constituencies for itself and allies and switching on to the campaign mode.
The Edappadi K Palaniswami-led AIADMK, which leads the NDA in Tamil Nadu will take on the DMK in certain urban centres considered to be the ruling party's stronghold.
The assembly polls will be held on April 23 and counting of votes taken up on May 4.
Determined to win over 210 out of the 234 Assembly constituencies in the state, the AIADMK has announced that it would contest from 169 seats, leaving the rest to allies, while the DMK has readied its poll battle machinery in as many as 175 constituencies. For its part, the Stalin-led party has set a target to secure over 200 seats.
DMK has announced that 'Rising Sun' will be in fray from 175 Assembly segments, indicating it would include smaller allies that would face the polls under the ruling party's poll symbol.
The AIADMK would take on the DMK in about 13 out of the 16 constituencies in Chennai, which has been electing Chief Minister M K Stalin, his son and deputy CM Udhayanidhi, Health Minister Ma Subramanian and Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister P K Sekar Babu, to name the very prominent persons in the DMK.
The AIADMK has allotted three seats to its allies while retaining 13 in the city. It has also announced its first list of candidates, with Palaniswami testing his electoral fortunes once again from Edappadi in Salem district, while a number of former ministers and sitting and ex-MLAs are also in fray.
While Seeman-led Naam Tamilar Katchi is in the fray in all the constituencies, actor-politician Vijay is gearing up to announce his TVK party candidates for 234 seats in the high-stakes poll battle.
Vijay, a top cinema star with a huge fan following, is likely to hit the campaign trail this week. Only these two leaders with a film background would take on the Dravidian majors that are backed with numerous political parties, respectively, in the election.
The AIADMK-led NDA has the BJP, which will contest from 27 seats. PMK will fight from 18 seats, AMMK from 11, TMC (M) from five (on BJP's Lotus symbol). Besides, Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi will filed candidates from two seats, while Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam and Puratchi Bharatham, have been allotted one seat each. In all, AIADMK has apportioned 65 seats to its allies.
The Dravidian party has retained a lion's share of seats, accounting for 169.
Palaniswami finalised the seat-sharing pact with seven political parties in two days, starting from March 23. On March 25, he announced the constituencies from where the constituents would contest and launched the campaign for the NDA from Mylapore in Chennai, where the BJP is contesting.
In the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, the Congress will enter the poll fray from 28 seats, DMDK: 10, VCK: 8, left parties: 5 each, and MDMK: 4, one seat each to SDPI, Mukkulathor Puli Padai Katchi (both parties contesting in Rising Sun symbol) and Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi. The party has allotted 2 seats each to IUML, Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi (KMDK) and the Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK).
KMDK and MMK are set to contest polls under the DMK's symbol. The MDMK will contest in the 'Rising Sun' symbol in 3 out of the 4 seats it has been given by the DMK.
The campaign is likely to intensify from next week, when the filing of nomination papers will formally commence from March 30.
