By Imran Nasir

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday strongly condemned the highly provocative and sacrilegious remarks made against the Holy Prophet (PBUH), by Raja Singh, a BJP official and a member of the state legislative assembly of the Indian state of Telangana. 

“This is the second time in the last three months that a senior BJP leader has made disrespectful comments against our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH),” said the Foreign Ministry in a statement. 

Pakistan said the lawmaker's derogatory remarks have gravely hurt the feeling of the people of Pakistan and billions of Muslims around the world and the token and perfunctory disciplinary action taken by the BJP against Singh cannot assuage the pain and anguish caused to the Muslims of India and around the world. 

“It is highly reprehensible that Mr. Singh was released on bail within hours of arrest and was welcomed by BJP zealots,” the Foreign Ministry lamented. 

“Despite global outrage and denunciation of an earlier similar and equally pernicious act, the current incident once again highlights the present Indian regime’s obsessively spiteful demeanour towards the Muslims and the worrying trajectory of Islamophobia in India. The fact is that India is nothing more than an undeclared ‘Hindu Rashtra’ where Muslims are routinely denigrated, dispossessed and marginalized and their religious beliefs are trampled under majoritarian hegemonism,” it’s said.

“The deafening silence of the top BJP leadership on the abhorrent incident manifestly reflects their approval and full support to the radical Hindu zealots within and beyond the BJP. Moreover, extension of full state protection to the former BJP spokesperson, despite her highly condemnable remarks against the dignity of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), is reflective of the impunity being enjoyed by those attacking Islam in India,” said the ministry.

Islamabad demanded the New Delhi to take immediate and decisive action against the BJP members habitually involved in attacking Islam and targeting the dignity of beloved Prophet (PBUH).

Pakistan also called on the international community to take urgent cognizance of the aggravating situation of Islamophobia in India and hold the current BJP government to account for its overt espousal of an anti-Muslim and anti-Islam agenda.