UN calls for religious tolerance as India officials insult Islam

Commenting on Indian officials’ remarks on Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the United Nations said yesterday that it “strongly encourages respect and tolerance for all religions”.

Spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Stéphane Dujarric, said: “We strongly encourage respect and tolerance for all religions.”

This comes after Media Officer of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Naveen Kumar Jindal, and the party’s spokesperson defamed Islam’s prophet, leading to boycotts of Indian products in Gulf states.

“I haven’t seen the remarks themselves, but I mean, regardless, I can tell you that we strongly encourage respect and tolerance for all religions,” Dujarric said.

READ: UAE to invest $100bn in India

The BJP on Sunday suspended Sharma and expelled Jindal as the row over their remarks against the prophet escalated with protests from many Muslim countries. The party also issued a statement asserting that it respects all religions and strongly denounces insults of any religious personality.

Seeking to defuse a diplomatic row, spokespersons of the Indian Embassy in Qatar and Kuwait said on Sunday that the ambassadors have said “the tweets do not, in any manner, reflect the views of the Government of India. These are the views of fringe elements.”