India strongly supports France against radical Islamism
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A person holds up a banner reading, 'For the freedom of speech', in a demonstration in France. Image credit: AP
New Delhi : India has come out strongly in support of France which says it has risen against radical Islamism following the beheading of a teacher by a Muslim immigrant two weeks ago.
In an official statement on Wednesday, the government said that it "strongly deplores the personal attacks in unacceptable language on President Emmanuel Macron in violation of the most basic standards of international discourse".
The Ministry of External Affairs, also condemned "the brutal terrorist attack that took the life of a French teacher in a gruesome manner that has shocked the world".
The government offered its condolences to his family and the people of France.
"There is no justification for terrorism for any reason or under any circumstance," the statement added.
Indians at home and abroad have been expressing solidarity with France ever since the middle-school teacher Samuel Paty was beheaded by the 18-year-old Abdullakh Anzorov inside a school near Paris on October 16.
President Macron called it an act of Islamist terrorism after it emerged that the Muslim immigrant had taken offence to Paty showing his students Charlie Hebdo cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, in a class on freedom of expression.
The teacher had given Muslim students the option not to attend the class beforehand.
Though Anzorov was shot dead by police later, this murder is one of the many Islamist terror attacks France has suffered in the last two decades.
Macron described Paty as a "compatriot killed for teaching children freedom of speech", triggering a larger debate about radical Islam in the country.
Several massive protest rallies against radical Islamism were organized in France since.
In a related move, staunch Muslims in France held prayers at a public spot, provoking nationalists to sing the national anthem right across them.
According to an opinion poll, 87 per cent people in France feel that their secularist society is under threat and 79 per cent believe that Islamism has declared war on the French republic.
(From IANS with minor edits)