Kolkata Police Summon Nupur Sharma Over Controversial Remarks on Prophet
The suspended BJP Leader has been asked by the Narkeldanga Police Station to appear on 20 June.
Suspended BJP Spokesperson has been summoned for questioning on 20 June.
(Photo: The Quint)
Kolkata Police has summoned suspended Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma for questioning over her controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammad.
Sharma has been directed to appear at the Narkeldanga Police Station on 20 June to provide a statement, news agency PTI reported.
Abul Sohail, the general secretary of the Trinamool Congress' minority cell, has also filed an First Information Report (FIR) against Sharma at the Contai police station for her remarks.
Mumbai Police had also issued a notice against Sharma regarding the same, under section 41 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), asking her to report to the investigating officer on 25 June.
The move comes after violent protests erupted across India last Friday, in response to the controversy, which included outrage over incendiary remarks made by expelled Delhi BJP media chief Naveen Jindal.
The Controversy
On 26 May, Nupur Sharma had made controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammad, during a prime-time show on Times Now.
Later, on 1 June, Naveen Jindal posted a similar remark on Twitter. The remarks sparked protests across the country and global outrage, with 16 nations, including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE etc, summoning Indian embassies in response to the provocative comments.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, amidst the disapproval, suspended the party's spokesperson Nupur Sharma and dismissed their Delhi unit's media cell head Naveen Jindal from the party's core membership on 5 June.
Sharma, subsequently, issued an unequivocal apology and claimed that she was being threatened with death. The Delhi Police later provided her and her family with security.
(With inputs from PTI)
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