Saudi Arabia joins Muslim nations to condemn controversial remarks of BJP leader against Prophet

India is receiving a chorus of condemnation from Arab and Islamic nations after the controversial remarks made by a BJP leader on Prophet Muhammed. And Saudi Arabia is the latest after Iran, Kuwait, and Qatar to denounce the statements.

Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry, led by Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al-Saud, reiterated the country's position calling for respect for beliefs and religions.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its condemnation and denunciation of the statements made by the spokeswoman of the Indian Bharatiya Janata Party, which insulted Prophet Mohammed, peace and blessings be upon him," Saudi's foreign ministry tweeted.

The ministry further rejected anything that gives rise to prejudice against "all religious figures and symbols."

The ministry also welcomed the measures taken by the BJP to suspend the spokeswoman and reaffirmed the "Kingdom's position calling for respect for beliefs and religions".

The Indian envoys in Iran, Kuwait, and Qatar were summoned on Sunday and they explained that the views expressed belong to 'fringe elements' and do not reflect the views of the Government of India.

Last week, in the backdrop of a series of communal incidents across the country, BJP national spokesperson Nupur Sharma made a comment during a TV debate insulting the Prophet. Naveen Jindal. who heads BJP's Delhi media, posted a tweet about the Prophet, which he later deleted.

Meanwhile, the BJP has suspended spokesperson Nupur Sharma and expelled Naveen Kumar Jindal from primary party membership over their statements.

Their comments were criticized by Muslim groups in India and triggered violence in the BJP-ruled north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Forty people were injured in Kanpur when two groups clashed after Friday prayers.

Outrage over the remarks has spread in the Arab world with a trending Twitter hashtag calling for a boycott of Indian products in some countries.