AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday demanded the arrest of BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma for her controversial remarks directed at Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam.
Addressing the media, Owaisi termed the suspension of Sharma from the BJP as a sham and also launched an all-out attack on the foreign policy of the Modi government after several Islamic nations summoned Indian envoys to lodge their protest over the controversy.
“India has lost face. The country’s foreign policy was destroyed. The fringe has become mainstream. I demand (Nupur Sharma’s) arrest, not just suspension,” the Lok Sabha MP representing Hyderabad said.
Taking aim at the Ministry of External Affairs, he said, “Has the Foreign Ministry become a part of the BJP? What will you do if there are hate crimes and violence against Indian nationals in Gulf countries?”
Owaisi alleged leaders like Sharma enjoy the support of the party bigwigs and charged that the BJP deliberately sends its spokespersons to TV debates to make inflammatory statements.
The BJP had on Sunday suspended its national spokesperson Nupur Sharma and expelled its Delhi media head Naveen Kumar Jindal as the row over their alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad escalated with protests from some Muslim countries.
Countries like Kuwait, Qatar, Iran and Saudi Arabia issued a statement expressing their displeasure over the comments made by Sharma. Qatar and Kuwait had even summoned the Indian ambassadors and handed over to them protest notes.
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