Indian police file case against ruling party official after anti-Muslim remarks

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) - An official of India's ruling party has been named by police in a case for inciting people after her insulting remarks against Prophet Muhammad spurred a string of condemnations from the oil-rich Gulf states and other Muslim-majority nations.

Nurpur Sharma, spokeswoman for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has been named in one of two cases registered for "inciting people on the basis of various divisive lines," the Delhi police said Thursday.

Indian journalist and author Saba Naqvi was also booked in the case after an alleged anti-Hindu tweet.

On Sunday, BJP suspended the membership of Sharma, and another worker Naveen Kumar Jindal was expelled from the party over comments he made about Islam on social media.

Sharma had made insulting remarks against Prophet Muhammad in a television debate, triggering a wave of condemnations within India and from the Islamic world.

More than a dozen countries -- as well as international organizations -- condemned the controversial remarks.

The latest development comes as Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian is on a three-day visit to New Delhi.

Abdollahian met Ajit Kumar Doval, India's national security adviser on Wednesday.

In a statement issued after the meeting, Iran said the Indian top official expressed regret over the recent controversy and promised action.