Remarks against Prophet: BJP suspends spokesperson Nupur Sharma
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New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday announced that it suspended national spokesperson Nupur Sharma for her derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad. Her comments have incited massive protests from the Muslim community, PTI reported.
However, Sharma issued a statement that she withdraws her earlier comments, which were not intended to hurt anyone's religious sentiments. She alleged that "Mahadev" and Shivling were being continously insulted in TV debates for many days and claimed that she responded accordingly by "saying something".
BJP also expelled its Delhi media head Naveen Kumar Jindal and said that Jindal's expressions on social media undermined communal harmony and violated BJP's fundamental beliefs.
BJP Delhi president Adesh Gupta communicated, "Your primary membership is immediately terminated, and you are expelled from the party."
The party's disciplinary committee informed Nupur Sharma that her views were contradicting the party's position on various matters and were a clear violation of its constitution. The communication to Sharma read, "Pending further inquiry, you are suspended from the party and from your responsibilities, assignments if any, with immediate effect."
Last Friday, Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur had witnessed widespread violence and rioting, which was reportedly triggered by Nupur Sharma's derogatory remarks on Prophet Muhammed. The incidents there allegedly started after a group of people started demanding shops to shut down after Friday prayers. Violence followed has injured at least 40 people, which included 20 police personnel. Police have so far arrested 29 in the case and booked more than 800 individuals through three FIRs.
The FIRs were filed adding charges of IPC Sections such as 147 (punishment for rioting), 307 (attempt to murder), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 336 (act endangering life), 353 (criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 427 (mischief causing damage) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace).