Azerbaijan summons Indian envoy over remarks insulting Prophet Muhammad

By Ruslan Rehimov

BAKU (AA) - Azerbaijan summoned Thursday the Indian envoy over insulting remarks on Islam's Prophet Muhammad by officials of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Last week, ruling party spokesperson Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal, the BJP’s Delhi media head, made insulting remarks about the prophet, triggering a wave of condemnation at home and from the Islamic world.

In a statement, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said it summoned Indian Ambassador Bavitlung Vanlalvavna to condemn the remarks, terming the behavior "unacceptable."

The ministry said the Islamophobic stance by the Indian officials hurt the feelings of Muslims around the world, adding that it expected strict measures against them.

The BJP said it had suspended Sharma and Jindal was expelled in response to the insulting remarks. Delhi Police on Thursday also registered a complaint against Sharma and others for “trying to disrupt public tranquility & inciting people on divisive lines.”