US says it condemns remarks made by two now-suspended BJP functionaries against the Prophet
Washington, Jun 17 (PTI) The US has said it condemns the controversial remarks made by two now-suspended BJP functionaries against Prophet Mohammad and encourages India to promote respect for human rights.
The BJP on June 5 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 several Muslim countries and 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.
"Well, this is something that we've condemned. We condemn the offensive comments made by two BJP officials, and we were glad to see that the party publicly condemned those comments," State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at his daily news conference on Thursday.
He was responding to a question by a Pakistani reporter.
"We regularly engage with the Indian government at senior levels on human rights concerns, including freedom of religion or belief," he said.
"We encourage India to promote respect for human rights. The Secretary (of State) said, when he was in New Delhi last year, that the Indian people and the American people believe in the same values: human dignity, human respect, equality of opportunity, and the freedom of religion or belief," Price said.
He was referring to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to India in July last year.
"These are fundamental tenets," Price said.
"These are fundamental values within any democracy, and we speak up for them around the world," Price said.
The Ministry of External Affairs has said that 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, the MEA Spokesperson said in New Delhi recently.
Countries like Kuwait, Qatar, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, the Maldives, UAE, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman and Afghanistan were among the several Muslim nations that have condemned the offensive remarks against the Prophet.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Two officials booked in UP; for showing elderly man dead, missing file
Ballia (UP) (PTI): Police registered separate cases against a village development officer and an assistant accountant for showing an elderly dead and disposing of a file related to documents of staff, respectively, an official said on Thursday.
In the first case, an FIR has been lodged at Bhimpura police station against the then village development officer (secretary), Savita, on charges of falsely showing an elderly man as dead during a verification, leading to the stoppage of his old-age pension.
According to police, a case was registered on Wednesday, based on the complaint of Assistant Development Officer Siyar block, Manoj Kumar Singh, under Section 198 (public servant disobeying law with intent to cause injury to any person) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The complainant alleged that Umashankar, a resident of Govindpur Dubauli village, was shown dead despite being alive, resulting in the discontinuation of his pension.
District Magistrate Mangala Prasad Singh ordered the registration of a case against the verification officer, police said.
ALSO READ: Parliament passes nuclear energy bill
Police are probing the matter, Rasra Circle Officer Alok Gupta said.
In a separate incident, an FIR has been registered at Ballia city Kotwali against Manish Kumar Ojha, assistant accountant at Kasturba Gandhi Residential Girls’ School, Belhari, under Section 316(4) (criminal breach of trust) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The case was registered based on the complaint of the District Basic Education Officer Manish Kumar Singh, police said.
According to the complainant, the assistant accountant had allegedly made files related to discrepancies in PAN cards of some teachers and staff working in government-run council schools in the district go missing.
Police officials said investigations are underway in both cases.
