The Indian state of West Bengal on Monday passed a resolution against the disparaging comments by suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma about Prophet Muhammad, PTI reported.
In their reaction, BJP leaders staged a walkout following the resolution, according to India Today.
This came just four days after the suspension of seven BJP MLAs, including Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and chief whip Manoj Tigga, from the West Bengal legislative assembly. The suspension has now been withdrawn.
Sharma made the remarks during a TV debate on May 26, while Naveen Jindal, who was the media head of the BJP’s Delhi unit, had posted a tweet on June 1 about the Prophet. He deleted the tweet later.
Sharma was suspended and Jindal was expelled on June 5 after the diplomatic backlash. New Delhi Police later filed first information reports against the two.
But their remarks sparked violent protests in several parts of India, including West Bengal. India also received diplomatic backlash from several Muslim-dominated countries. Protests also erupted in Bangladesh.
Indian police gunned down two protesters in Jharkhand on June 10.
Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that Sharma’s comments were a part of a greater design to spread hatred among communities before the 2024 Lok Sabha --the lower house of India's bicameral parliament -- elections. “I will appeal to people not to fall into BJP’s trap,” she said. “We have taken stern action against those who tried to create a ruckus.”
The BJP leaders, led by Suvendhu Adhikari, started a protest when West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was addressing the Assembly.
The resolution stated that the country’s communal harmony was being ruined due to the remarks of a BJP leader. It also claimed that due to Banerjee’s intervention, communal harmony was maintained in West Bengal.
Several incidents of violence were reported during the protests in West Bengal earlier this month. Agitators had vandalised a local train in Bethuadahari town of Nadia district on June 12 and had set several kiosks and vehicles, including those of police, on fire in Howrah on June 10.
Banerjee on Monday said that the state police acted against the violence, and asked why Sharma has still not been arrested, India Today reported. “I know she will not be arrested,” the chief minister said. “She has sought time from Kolkata Police for four weeks. She was to appear before the police today (Monday).”
Sharma sought the four-week extension over alleged threats against her life over her controversial remarks.
