Exclusive: 'India's image has taken a beating', Yashwant Sinha on Prophet comments controversy

Talking to ETV Bharat, Yashwant Sinha, former External Affairs Minister, and once BJP's top functionary in response to any bilateral or diplomatic friction, said that the repercussions are already there to see because Muslim countries in the Gulf and in the Arab World have largely reacted somewhat angrily to the utterances of the BJP's spokesperson, reports Saurabh Sharma

New Delhi:In an unprecedented diplomatic fallout, Indian ambassadors in Qatar, Kuwait, and Iran were summoned by their host foreign ministries who lodged protest notes after the controversial comments against Prophet Muhammad made by now expelled BJP's spokesperson Nupur Sharma drew widespread condemnation from Arab and other Muslim countries.

Facing a sudden diplomatic storm on Sunday which continued on Monday as well, the ruling saffron party removed Nupur Sharma and Delhi state media chief Naveen Kumar Jindal from primary party membership. Talking to ETV Bharat, Yashwant Sinha, former External Affairs Minister, and once BJP's top functionary in response to any bilateral or diplomatic friction, said that the repercussions are already there to see because Muslim countries in the Gulf and in the Arab World have largely reacted somewhat angrily to the utterances of the BJP's spokesperson.

"The point is that the BJP is the ruling party and the dividing line between the government and the party is very thin. And especially under such a strong leader like PM Narendra Modi, it is not like that the party and the government are separate. So everyone knows that the party reflects the opinion of the PM also and also that of the government," he said.

"It is not a secret that the OIC's stand has always been anti-India and these comments by BJP's functionaries have given a handle to Pakistan to persuade the OIC to do what it has done. and the government responded to it in equal measures," he added. Asked to comment on whether this can impact the bilateral relations or put the Indian diaspora living there under some sort of a threat, Sinha staunchly replied that it certainly does not promote India's interests.

"India's response has somewhat been explanatory and nobody knows what is happening behind the curtains. The Vice-President is there in Qatar and our envoy has been summoned there and he has explained that these are 'fringe' elements and such comments are not endorsed by the Government," Sinha said.

To a question over whether such statements lowers India's image at the diplomatic front, Sinha said, "Of course they do. I mean we're talking of the Gulf and the Arab countries. What about the statement by the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (on freedom of religion report), that was also equally damaging. The point is that India's image as a liberal, secular and democratic nation has taken a beating not only on this but on various other matters as well."

Sinha said when he was the official spokesperson of the BJP, at that time there were only two spokespersons which included him and the late Sushma Swaraj. "And that time discussions were held on how to give statements and how to maintain the decorum. But if you look at the present situation with the multiplying of the Television channels which led to multiplying of the spokespersons as well, now we don't have any numbers on this. And, India's envoy to Qatar said these are 'fringe' elements (referring to Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal). How can an official spokesperson be termed a "fringe element"," questioned Sinha.