‘Modiji, what you permit is what you promote’

Local Congress councilor and her supporters a protest against Nupur Sharma, in Kota, on Sunday. Pic/PTI

Hitting out at the BJP over the derogatory remarks made by its functionaries against Prophet Muhammad, the Congress on Monday accused it of defaming India at the international level and said it was unacceptable that the nation has to apologise for its mistakes. The BJP's president should apologise, it added.

It also demanded the arrest of the two BJP functionaries - Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal - after international outrage on the issue. The BJP on Sunday suspended its national spokesperson Sharma and expelled the party's Delhi unit media head Jindal.

"Divided internally, India becomes weak externally. BJP's shameful bigotry has not only isolated us, but also damaged India's standing globally," Rahul Gandhi tweeted.
Telangana's ruling TRS Working President K T Rama Rao also attacked the BJP.

"PM @narendramodi Ji, Why should India as a country apologise to international community for the hate speeches of BJP bigots? It is BJP that should apologise; not India as a Nation. Your party should first apologise to Indians at home for spewing & spreading hatred day in day out," he tweeted.

Rama Rao, son of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, also referred to BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur allegedly describing Nathuram Godse as a patriot earlier. "Modi Ji, Your silence was deafening & shocking when BJP MP Pragya Singh hailed assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. Let me remind you sir; What you permit is what you promote," he said.

India rejects OIC's statement

India on Monday hit out at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for its criticism of the country in the wake of the derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad.External Affa-irs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India categorically rejects the OIC Secretariat's "unwarr-anted and narrow-minded comments". "The offensive tweets and comments denigrating a religious personality were made by certain individuals. They do not, in any manner, reflect the views of the Govern-ment of India," Bagchi said. "It is regrettable that OIC Secretariat has yet again chosen to make motivated, misleading and mischie-vous comments. This only exposes its divisive agenda being pursued at the behest of vested interests." The 57-member OIC had also urged the UN to take necessary measures to ensure that the rights of Muslims are protected.

FIR over threats

Delhi police have filed an FIR on a complaint by Nupur Sharma who alleged that she is receiving death threats after her remarks on Prophet Muhammad, officers said on Monday." Based on the FIR, we have initiated a probe into the matter," a senior cop said.

Tweet talk

Rahul Gandhi@RahulGandhi: Divided internally, India becomes weak externally. BJP's shameful bigotry has not only isolated us, but also damaged India's standing globally

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