HYDERABAD: The AIMIM on Monday demanded the immediate arrest of Nupur Sharma, the BJP spokesperson who was suspended by the party following her controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad. MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi said Sharma’s comments resulted in an outrage against India in the Gulf countries and have embarrassed India causing grievous hurt to the country.
Owaisi told reporters that he had asked for action against Nupur Sharma ten days ago but Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not heed. “Now that India has lost face, and under duress, the BJP suspended her. That will not suffice. She must be arrested for her comments,” Owaisi said.
He said the fact that Qatar cancelled an official dinner for the Vice President of India on a state visit spoke volumes of the damage done to India’s image by the former BJP spokesperson’s comments. “But this is the BJP strategy. They send their spokespersons out to deliberately malign other religions and sit back and not take any action as differences are sought to be created. Now that India has faced severe criticism from other countries, the BJP took action, which is not enough,” he said.
Owaisi said the sentiments of 20 crore Muslims in India were insulted by Nupur Sharma’s comments, but when Indian Muslims were outraged, there was no action. Calling her suspension a ‘sham’, Owaisi said Modi and the BJP were more worried about foreign backlash than the hurt sentiments of 20 crore Indians.
He also said that Modi owed India an explanation on why Saudi Arabia increased the price of crude supplied to India by $6, after Nupur Sharma’s comments. Saudi Arabia did not do this with the US to which it sells its oil too, but has targeted India. Modi must answer why Indian government must pay a price for BJP leaders shooting their mouths off.
