The Indian Supreme Court chastised Nupur Sharma, the suspended official of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) whose derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) last month sparked global protests, on Friday, stating that she should “apologize to the entire country.”
“We witnessed the discussion on how she was incited. It is disgraceful, however, that she said all of this and later claimed she was a lawyer. She should apologize to the entire nation “Justice Surya Kant was quoted by NDTV.
Last month, Sharma, the spokesman for the BJP, and Naveen Kumar Jindal, another party leader, made disrespectful remarks about the Holy Prophet (PBUH), drawing criticism and censure from around the world, particularly in Muslim nations.
The BJP, for its part, suspended Sharma and expelled Jindal in response to the strong reaction to their remarks.
However, the remarks sparked outrage across the globe and in India, with the party of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned in Muslim countries and other nations. Muslims took to the streets throughout Asia, including India, where protesters were met with repression by the Indian government.
In the meantime, multiple cases were filed against Sharma in different cities, and she petitioned the Supreme Court to transfer all of her cases to Delhi, citing threats.
As the Supreme Court heard her case today, it accused Sharma of “igniting tension” with her disparaging remarks about the Holy Prophet (PBUH). “She is solely responsible for what is occurring in the country,” the court was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
“Her outburst is responsible for the unfortunate incident in Udaipur,” the court added, referring to the recent decapitation of a tailor in the Indian city.
According to India Today, the court stated that Sharma’s remarks were made for “cheap publicity, political purposes, or some nefarious activities.” The court also stated that she had “threatened national security.”
“A spokesperson is not permitted to make such claims. Occasionally, power causes individuals to believe they are everything. Why did she (Sharma) not file a lawsuit against those who provoked her to make these statements? “The Supreme Court stated.
According to the Hindustan Times, the court denied Sharma’s petition, stating: “When you file a complaint against someone, that individual is arrested, but no one will touch you. This shows your influence.”
The US condemns “offensive remarks”
The United States had also condemned Sharma’s “offensive comments” earlier this month. During a press briefing, a journalist brought up the offensive remarks made by BJP members and the subsequent destruction of Muslim homes.
“Would you like to comment on these hate crimes committed by the Indian government against Muslims and other minorities?” he asked Ned Price, a spokesperson for the United States Department of State.
In response, Price stated, “In any case, we have condemned this practice. We were pleased to see that the BJP publicly condemned the offensive comments made by two BJP officials.”
He added that the United States regularly engages with senior Indian government officials on human rights issues, including religious freedom, and that “we encourage India to promote respect for human rights.”
The secretary continued, “The Indian people and the American people share the same values: human dignity, human respect, opportunity equality, and religious or philosophical liberty. These are fundamental values and tenets of any democracy, for which we advocate globally.”
