Indian ruling party leader arrested for posting anti-Muslim comments

Police in northern India have arrested a young leader of the ruling Hindu Nationalist Party for posting anti-Muslim comments on social media.

This comes in the wake of insulting comments made to the Prophet Muhammad by another official in the same party, which sparked a wave of diplomatic outrage internationally.

On Wednesday, officials said Harshit Srivastava, a young BJP leader, was arrested in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, following sectarian tensions last week during a demonstration by Muslims protesting against comments offensive to Islam.

"We have arrested the local politician for making anti-Muslim comments," senior police official Prashant Kumar said, adding that at least 50 people had been detained in connection with the tension in Kanpur.

Srivastava's lawyer was not present for comment.

There were reports of sporadic unrest in other parts of the country following insulting comments to the Prophet Muhammad made by Bharatiya Janata spokeswoman Nupur Sharma in a televised interview.

The ruling party announced that Sharma had been suspended and another speaker, Naveen Kumar Jindal, had been expelled for comments he made about Islam on social media.

"The BJP strongly condemns insulting any religious figures who are held in esteem by the followers of any religion. The party also stresses its rejection of any ideology that insults or degrades any sect or religion. The BJP does not promote such people or such philosophy," a statement said. .

Local anger gained new momentum after leaders from several Islamic countries demanded the Indian government apologize, as well as summoning India's ambassadors to those countries to protest against comments offensive to Islam.

The 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation said in a statement that the abuse came in a context charged with hatred against Islam in India, as well as systematic harassment against Muslims.

India's foreign ministry said on Monday that the offensive tweets and comments did not in any way express the government's views.

The controversy has become a diplomatic challenge to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Several members of his ruling Hindu nationalist party were instructed to "use extreme caution" when speaking on public platforms.

Observers said that the controversy may cast a shadow over some of India's recent successes.

Critics say Sharma and Jindal's comments reflect the country's deep religious polarization in recent years.

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