BJP Should Apologise, Not India: KTR On Prophet Remark Controversy

Telangana Minister for IT and Industries K T Rama Rao on Monday lambasted the union government for extending an apology to the Gulf countries, and asked why India as a country should apologise for the "hate speeches of BJP bigots".

Rao criticised the Centre for the backlash from the Gulf following remarks by BJP spokespersons on the Prophet Muhammad, and demanded that the BJP apologise to Indians at home for "spewing and spreading hatred day in day out".

"It is the BJP that should apologise, not India as a nation. Your party should first apologise to Indians at home for spewing & spreading hatred day in day out (sic)," he said in a series of tweets.

Citing the remarks of BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur terming Nathuram Godse a patriot, the minister said that the Prime Minister's on that was deafening & shocking.

"Let me remind you sir, what you permit is what you promote," he said, adding that tacit support from the top was what was emboldening the "bigotry & hatred".

India is facing a huge backlash from the Gulf over the remarks by BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and its Delhi media head Naveen Jindal. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Iran have strongly condemned the remarks, describing them as Islamophobic.

Both Sharma and Jindal apologised on Sunday for the comments after the party suspended the former and expelled the latter.

The action came just hours before Iran, Kuwait and Qatar issued official notes. On Monday morning, Saudi Arabia too joined the list.

The union government has since been been repeatedly assuring all nations that all religions were respected in India.