Muslims account for roughly 13% of India’s population of 1.35 billion people, while the number of Indians in Qatar exceeds 750,000, making up about 25% of Qatar’s overall population of 2,979,915.
#BoycottQatarAirways has taken the lead in trending Twitter hashtags after right-wing Hindus called for an economic boycott of the Gulf state amid ongoing controversy over offensive Prophet Muhammad remarks.
This comes following the sanctioning of two party spokespersons from India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for making insulting statements about the prophet.
The controversy has seen the party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi caught in an international diplomatic crisis.
In a recent television debate, BJP national Spokesperson Nupur Sharma insulted the prophet and his wife Aisha. Shortly after, Sharma’s colleague, BJP’s Delhi Media Operation Chief Naveen Kumar Jindal wrote a now-deleted tweet about the prophet following a public outrage over Sharma’s statements.
The remarks have sparked protests in India, with Muslim countries summoning ambassadors as a sign of discontent.
The incident has enraged Arab social media users, who have called for a boycott of Indian products, criticised the rise in anti-Islamic and anti-Muslim sentiment, and accused India of following France and China in encouraging Islamophobia.
Consequently, #الا ـ رسول ـ الله ـ يا ـ مودي (#AnyoneButTheProphetOModi) took social media by storm, and secured the number one trend on twitter for more than two days in Qatar and neighbouring Arab states.
According to BJP papers and media sources, Sharma was suspended from the party’s main membership on Sunday for statements made during the television debate, noting Jindal was also dismissed.
In a statement to Doha News, the Indian embassy in Doha said the “ambassador conveyed that the tweets do not, in any manner, reflect the views of the Government of India,” during a meeting at the Qatari foreign minister, describing the remarks are “views of fringe elements.”
In a statement made on Sunday, the BJP said it allegedly respects all religions and “strongly denounces insult of any religious personalities of any religion”.
“The Bharatiya Janata Party is also strongly against any ideology which insults or demeans any sect or religion. The BJP does not promote such people or philosophy,” the party said. “India’s Constitution gives right to every citizen to practice any religion of his/her choice and to honour and respect every religion”.
The statement failed to address the offensive remarks or the sanctioning of the two party officials.
#BoycottQatarAirways
Guarav Goel, the BJP’s State Spokesperson, was one of the first officials to endorse the boycott on Monday, tweeting that an “economic boycott is the only solution”.
However, many rushed to defend Qatar under the hashtag.
“When Covid-19 was wrecking havoc on Indian lives all thanks to the disastrous policies of Modi govt, ‘Qatar Airways’ facilitated India in the shipment of 1350 oxygen cylinders. And there are over 700,000 Indian nationals residing in Qatar. But yeah let’s boycott Qatar,” said one user.
“Qatar provides one of the best medical facilities to all expatriates and citizens regardless of religion and race almost for free. People calling for #BoycottQatarAirways have never traveled to Qatar,” stated another.
Qatar takes the lead
On Sunday, the Indian ambassador was summoned by Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to receive an official note “expressing the disappointment of the State of Qatar and its total rejection and condemnation to the controversial remarks”, the QNA state news agency reported.
While Qatar welcomes the BJP’s statement and staff suspension, it expects the Indian government to provide a public apology and denounce the statements.
“The State of Qatar calls on the Indian government to immediately condemn these remarks and publicly apologise to all Muslims around the world,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Mohammed Al Ansari said.
Assistant Foreign Minister Lolwah Al Khater went further to describe the move as a “deliberate insult” to more than 2 billion Muslims worldwide.
Kuwait followed the footsteps on its neighbour, and also called the Indian ambassador and informed him that it had had given him a protest note rejecting and denouncing the BJP officials’ views.
Several Indian cities and states have seen widespread systematic persecution of the Muslim minority in recent months, accompanied by violence from extremist Hindu militias.
For years, far-right Hindus have incited anti-muslim violence online, but it has only recently materialised in the streets.
Muslims account for roughly 13% of India’s population of 1.35 billion people.
The Indian population in Qatar exceeds 750,000, making up about 25% of Qatar’s overall population of 2,979,915.
