THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The controversial remarks of suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nupur Sharma will not affect India’s good relations with Gulf countries, Union commerce minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday, responding to concerns that the controversy may impact expatriates from Kerala.
There was no need for the expatriate community to have any apprehensions because of the controversy as India’s strong ties with Gulf Co-operation Council countries were intact, Goyal, who is on a two-day visit to the port city of Kochi, told reporters.
The senior BJP leader said the party had taken action against two leaders (Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal) for their remarks and the external affairs ministry issued a clarification on this.
“These remarks were not made by a government functionary, therefore it has no impact on the government. The BJP had taken action against its functionaries,” he said adding the external affairs ministry has issued a statement on this.
Asked about a social media campaign to boycott Indian products in the wake of the remarks by Nupur Sharma, who was removed as a spokesperson and suspended by the party, and Naveen Kumar Jindal, who was expelled by the BJP, the minister said he was not aware of any such development.
“All Indians living and working in the Gulf region are safe and do not have to worry. The government has nothing to do with these remarks and they won’t affect the image of the Modi government either. MEA has explained to nations which registered their protest,” he said, referring to efforts by New Delhi to deal with the diplomatic fallout of the controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammed. Many countries in West and South-East Asia have denounced the comments.
{{/usCountry}}“All Indians living and working in the Gulf region are safe and do not have to worry. The government has nothing to do with these remarks and they won’t affect the image of the Modi government either. MEA has explained to nations which registered their protest,” he said, referring to efforts by New Delhi to deal with the diplomatic fallout of the controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammed. Many countries in West and South-East Asia have denounced the comments.
{{/usCountry}}The developments have been closely watched in Kerala which has 1.8million expatriates working in the Gulf.
Ruling CPI(M) and opposition Congress leaders in Kerala have slammed the remarks of BJP leaders. “Sangh Parivar has once again disgraced our revered secular democracy before the world with the derogatory remarks. It is high time to raise a unanimous voice against forces of bigotry,” tweeted chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. “What else you expected of a party which is hell bend on wrecking everything we have built up and cherished,” said opposition leader V D Satheesan.