Prophet Remarks Row: We Encourage Respect & Tolerance For All Religions, UN Spokesperson Says

Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, was responding to a question by a Pakistani journalist on the remarks made by BJP leaders against Prophet Mohammed.

BJP leader Nupur Sharma

Source : @NupurSharmaBJP/Twitter

As Muslim nations continue to condemn the remarks made by BJP leader Nupur Sharma and the party's former Delhi media head Naveen Kumar Jindal against Prophet Mohammed, a spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Monday said "we strongly encourage respect and tolerance for all religions", news agency PTI reported.

The spokesperson made the comment while responding to a question by a Pakistani journalist on the remarks made by the BJP leaders against Prophet Mohammed.

"I've seen stories. I haven't seen the remarks themselves, but I mean, regardless, I can tell you that we strongly encourage respect and tolerance for all religions," Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, said at daily press briefing, reported news agency PTI.

Meanwhile, Nupur Sharma and Naveel Jindal, who made the comments against the Prophet, were suspended by the BJP on Sunday as objections grew with many Muslim countries condemning the remark.

As protests escalated from countries like Kuwait, Qatar and Iran, the BJP distanced itself from the remarks made by its leaders and made a statement asserting that it respects all religions and strongly condemns any remark insulting religious personalities, reported PTI.

Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, the UAE,  Afghanistan and the Maldives are some of the Muslim countries that on Monday condemned the remarks made by the BJP leaders against Prophet Mohammed. While putting up a protest, all the countries stressed on the importance of respecting all religions.

Meanwhile, suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and her family have been provided security by the Delhi police after an FIR was registered on a complaint that she was getting death threats over her remarks on Prophet Mohammad.