BJP's anti-Prophet remarks reveal the true face of Indian anti-Muslim hate

On May 26, during a television debate about a recent controversy surrounding the Gyanvapi Mosque in India’s Uttar Pradesh, Nupur Sharma, a spokesperson of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) questioned the validity of Islamic beliefs, and in doing so demeaned the honour of Islam's Prophet.

In the same debate, Sharma had also mocked and denigrated the Prophet’s journey to the skies (Al-Israa wal-Mi'raj).

When the discussion heated up, Sharma ended up offending Muslims across the world.

"There have been genocidal calls [of Muslims] and yet the Prime Minister hasn't said a word. It is against both India's Constitution and the Geneva Convention"

On June 5, 2022, the Hindu Supremacist BJP suspended its spokesperson Nupur Sharma, after receiving international backlash from various Islamic nations and protests across the country.

Along with Sharma, another party member, Naveen Jindal, has also been suspended.

Despite being suspended from the party, Sharma has still not been arrested. Instead, she is being provided security by the State after a number of death and rape threats.

Sharma’s comments have deeply offended the UAE, Oman, Indonesia, Iraq, the Maldives, Jordan, Libya and Bahrain, who joined the list of countries in the Islamic world who have condemned the remarks. Reportedly, Kuwait, Iran and Qatar had called Indian ambassadors to register their protest, with Saudi Arabia issuing a strongly-worded statement.

On June 10, after Friday Prayers, Muslims held agitations across India to call for the arrest of Sharma. “This is unacceptable, she has crossed the line, the government needs to arrest her immediately,” said a protestor in the Indian capital New Delhi.

While the Indian mainstream media failed to cover the blasphemous remarks, videos of her debate went viral on social media and sparked angry protests across the country and the world, with protestors burning effigies of Sharma and pasting photographs of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on garbage bins.

Even after widespread anger and Muslims spilling out onto the streets in protest, Sharma remained rebellious and bragged about being bolstered by BJP leader and Indian Home Minister Amit Shah, who had called her to express his support. Anti-Islam Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders also tweeted in support of Sharma saying: “Don’t listen to the hypocrites. Islamic nations have no freedom, they persecute minorities and they should be criticised.”

To seek legal action against Sharma’s comments, a police complaint was registered by the Raza Academy in Mumbai. Muhammed Saeed Noorie, the founder of the Academy, told The New Arab that Muslims are awaiting justice. “She made those remarks 15 days ago, why isn’t she behind bars? Muslims are getting angrier with each passing day!” said Noorie, who founded the academy in 1978.

Condemning the remarks, Dr Shama Mohamed, national spokesperson of the Indian National Congress, the largest opposition party in the country, said, “Now just see, the BJP will cease to have Muslim members of parliament. It already is without any Muslim members of legislative assemblies in any of the states or union territories in the country. So definitely, there is an agenda to make Muslims second-class citizens”.

Regarding Sharma’s comments, Mohamed said that what really stood out for her was when the BJP labelled Sharma as ‘a fringe element’ when until before these comments she was a national spokesperson.

Mohamed also suggests that the BJP suspended Sharma and distanced themselves from her only after backlash from Islamic nations - essential trade partners for India. “There have been genocidal calls [of Muslims] and yet the Prime Minister hasn't said a word. It is against both India's Constitution and the Geneva Convention” added Mohamed. She further explained how this is a time when social harmony should be maintained.

On June 10, 30 persons, including members of the political party All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) were arrested for protesting outside the Parliament Street police station in Delhi.

Protests across India have resulted in two deaths in eastern India’s Ranchi. In Ranchi, like the rest of the country, thousands of Muslims had gathered at a local market to protest against the anti-Prophet comments.

Afzal Khan Afridi, Joint Secretary, AIMIM, told The New Arab, “I’m asking the government of India, why isn't the person, who has angered and brought the largest minority community of India to the streets being arrested? She is single-handedly threatening the security of the nation”.

Afridi also questioned the attitude of the Modi government towards Sharma, arguing that if a Muslim was to write similarly inflammatory remarks towards Hindus they would be jailed under terrorism laws.

Ever since the BJP came to power in 2014, the country’s 200 million Muslims have faced growing marginalisation. Their political rights, religious rights, dietary practices, and even their clothing have been both scrutinised and vilified. 

Sharma’s comments are a window to the world; proof of India's widening religious polarisation, and the worrisome future that may lie ahead.

In its agenda to render Muslims invisible, the BJP has established itself as the ‘messiah’ of Hindus. But because of Sharma’s comments, the ‘messiah’ has had to apologize to the Muslim community worldwide, the same community which dies a different death every day at the hands of the world’s largest democracy – India.

Tarushi Aswani is a freelance writer based in India.

Follow her on Twitter: @tarushi_aswani