Islamic Forum for Australian Muslims (IFAM) vehemently condemns the derogatory comments made by spokesmen of BJP in India and is deeply concerned by rising Islamophobia in the subcontinent.

Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal, official spokespersons of the ruling BJP have clearly crossed the red line by publicly using vulgur language on television and social media about the beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (Peace be Upon Him). This insult and hatred are not acceptable in any decent civil society and particularly pains the 1.6 billion Muslims living around the world who revere the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his family more than anyone else ever. All such derogatory attempts to insult any prophet or religious symbols warrants the strongest condemnation. Respect to people’s beliefs is the corner stone for ensuring peace in any community.

It’s a welcome measure that the party has taken some action against the perpetrators in response to Arab outage but in no way suffices to check the growing Islamophobic trajectory in India. The recent years have witnessed a series of riot, violet attacks and open hatred against common Muslims, their choice of dress, food habits and Islam in general in India with tacit support from the ruling administration and authorities. The electronic media has become a hotbed of open bigotry and hared that continues to go unchecked, thereby raising concerns for everyday safety of the second largest Muslim population of the world.

We urge the media and those in authority to be responsible and demonstrate restraint to build a safer environment and deliver the values and rights upon all citizens enshrined in the Indian constitution.

We also urge the local Australian Muslims to seek counsel and support from their local Mosques and Imams, should they need support for their own mental well-being in this time of distress.

The Islamic Forum of Australian Muslims is a leading Australian Muslim organization dedicated to the betterment of society through the application of Islamic values. Since 1993, IFAM has worked to build better relations between communities by devoting itself to education, outreach, social services and relief efforts.