Amid global outrage, BJP acts against leaders for hate remarksThe party suspends Nupur Sharma, Naveen Kumar for communal comments

Nistula Hebbar Suhasini Haidar New Delhi

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday suspended its spokesperson Nupur Sharma and the media cell head of its Delhi unit, Naveen Kumar, from the primary membership of the party following objectionable and communal statements made by them on Prophet Muhammed and Islam.

The disciplinary action comes amid a diplomatic outrage, especially in West Asian nations. Qatar’s foreign office summoned Indian envoy Deepak Mittal, while Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu is on an official visit there. Social media was flooded with protests, with a call to boycott Indian products in the Gulf countries.

On Friday, violence broke out in Kanpur over the remarks made by the BJP leaders.

An official statement by the External Affairs Ministry said that Mr. Mittal “conveyed [to Qatari authorities] that the tweets do not, in any manner, reflect the views of the Government of India. These are the views of fringe elements... strong action has already been taken against them.”

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