Malaysia latest to ‘condemn’ remarks on Prophet, summons Indian envoy

Malaysia's foreign ministry in a statement said it has summoned India’s high commissioner to Malaysia this afternoon to convey the country’s total repudiation over the statements.

Malaysia on Tuesday became the latest country to condemn the controversial remarks made against Prophet Mohammed by a now-suspended BJP spokesperson and an expelled leader and welcomed the ruling party's action against them.

Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal

The foreign ministry (Wisma Putra) in a statement said it has summoned India’s high commissioner to Malaysia this afternoon to convey the country’s total repudiation over the statements.

“Malaysia welcomed the decision by the ruling party to suspend the party’s officials due to their provocative remarks that has generated rage among Muslim Ummah,” the statement read.

While the BJP faced more criticism at home, the diplomatic fallout of the row continued as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Indonesia, Jordan, the UAE, Maldives, Oman and Afghanistan joined several Muslim nations in condemning the alleged derogatory remarks.

The BJP had on Sunday suspended its spokesperson Nupur Sharma and expelled Naveen Kumar Jindal, its Delhi media head, in a fire-fighting exercise.

While Sharma is facing cases in various cities over her remarks, the Delhi Police has registered an FIR on her complaint that she is receiving death threats.

Delhi Police officials said the FIR has been registered under various IPC sections like 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) against the unidentified people.

Sharma has been summoned on June 22 by the Mumbai Police to record her statement in connection with an FIR against her on a complaint by Muslim outfit Raza Academyover her remarks, according to Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Panday.

Earlier, the Indonesian foreign ministry said it "strongly condemns unacceptable derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad PBUH (peace be upon him) by two Indian politicians. This message has been conveyed to Indian Ambassador in Jakarta”. 

Qatar has asked for an apology for the comments.

The Iraqi Parliamentary Endowments and Tribes Committee said in a statement the anti-Islam insults “will have serious repercussions and, if not contained, may lead to dire consequences that will have unimaginable consequences for the peaceful coexistence, as well as increase strife and tensions between peoples”.

Kuwait, Qatar, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan were among the first to make formal protests against the provocation.