India on Wednesday, 28 October, issued a statement in support of French President Emmanuel Macron over his stand on Islam and radicalism. The Ministry of External Affairs condemned the personal attacks against Macron, whom Pakistan and Turkey have targeted strongly.
The Ministry said: “We strongly deplore the personal attacks in unacceptable language on President Emmanuel Macron in violation of the most basic standards of international discourse.”
The Ministry also condemned the brutal terrorist attack that took the life of a French teacher in a gruesome manner that has shocked the world.
“We offer our condolences to his family and the people of France,” the statement read.
Following the MEA statement, French Ambassador to India Emmanuel Lenain thanked India, saying both countries can count on each other in the fight against terrorism.
Muslims across the world have called for the boycott of French products, as the protest over the portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad intensifies. Following the murder of French teacher, over a cartoon of Prophet Muhammad, French President Emmanuel Macron had said that country will not give up cartoons.
Earlier this month, an 18-year-old of Chechen origin beheaded a teacher near Paris who had shown caricatures of Muhammad in class.
Muslim Leaders Condemn Macron
On 25 October, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan accused the French leader who chose to encourage anti-Muslim sentiment.
Khan, in a series of tweets, accused Macron of provoking Muslim citizens.
“Through encouraging the display of blasphemous cartoons targeting Islam and our Prophet PBUH. By attacking Islam, clearly without having any understanding of it, President Macron has attacked and hurt the sentiments of millions of Muslims in Europe and across the world,” Khan tweeted.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has led the charge against Macron and asked for a boycott of French goods, reported The Indian Express.
Protests have also been held in Iraq, Turkey, Bangladesh and the Gaza Strip against the cartoon.
(With inputs from Indian Express and India Today)
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