Indian Muslim Groups Call for Arrest of BJP Spokesperson for 'Insulting' the Prophet in TV Debate
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During a discussion that was broadcast on the channel Indian Times Now on 26 May, the spokeswoman of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Nupur Sharma allegedly mocked the Quran for saying that the “Earth is flat”. The purported remarks about Prophet Mohammed have triggered massive outrage among Indian Muslims.
India’s top Muslim groups have called upon police to arrest a spokesperson of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Nupur Sharma, who was accused of using "derogatory" language against the Prophet Mohammed during a television debate.
During a discussion broadcast on Times Now on 26 May, Nupur Sharma allegedly mocked the Quran for saying that the “Earth is flat”.
“Prophet Mohammad married a six-year-old girl and then had sex with her at the age of nine,” Sharma is also heard saying in the video. The video has been taken down by the channel.
Raza Academy, an Islamic educational and cultural organisation, said late on Saturday evening that it approached the Commissioner of Mumbai Police and demanded the arrest of Sharma for her “insulting” remarks.
“The Honourable Commissioner of Police immediately ordered Pydhonie Police station to file a First Information Report (FIR) under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 295A, 153A aur 505B against her under stringent sections which was filed late night today,” Raza Academy posted on social media.
While Section 295A of Indian law concerns itself with “outraging religious sentiments", Section 153A deals with people accused of “promoting enmity” among different religious groups or communities. Section 505B of the IPC charges people who are accused of inciting an offence “against the state of public tranquillity”.
In a complaint lodged with Ambajogai Police Station in Maharashtra state on Saturday, the Tipu Sultan Party (TSP) claimed that that Nupur Sharma’s comments have the “potential to cause civil unrest”.
“The action of Ms Nupur Sharma promotes feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will between different religious and regional groups or communities, causing civil unrest and disturbances,” the complaint states.
It further added that that Sharma could be considered as an “internal threat to the peace and harmony” of the country.
Besides the several police complaints, the BJP spokesperson is facing the ire of the Indian Muslim community for her controversial remarks.
Mukhtar Ansari, a five-term state lawmaker from Uttar Pradesh, said in a post that the authorities must take “stringent action” against Sharma.
“This hatemonger should be behind bars,” argued Sadaf Jafar, a politician from the federal opposition Congress party.
BJP spokesperson insults Prophet
© Photo : Twitter
Jafar also rejected Sharma’s argument that the video of her remarks doing the rounds of social media has been “heavily edited” by Mohammed Zubair, the co-founder of fact-checking website Alt News.
Zubair was one of the first persons to post a clipping of Sharma’s controversial remarks and demand her arrest.
Prime Time debates in India have become a platform to encourage hate mongers to speak ill about other religions. @TimesNow's Anchor @navikakumar is encouraging a rabid communal hatemonger & a BJP Spokesperson to speak rubbish which can incite riots.
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) May 27, 2022
Shame on you @vineetjaintimes pic.twitter.com/lrUlkHEJp5
Following Zubair’s post, Sharma claimed that she started to receive “death and rape threats, including beheading threats against me and family members”.
Sharma further accused Zubair of “creating a fake narrative” and inciting “communal passions”.
Zubair has rejected the allegation that he edited the video in anyway.
