India’s top court has rebuked a former spokesperson of the ruling party for her controversial remarks on the Prophet Muhammad.
The court told Nupur Sharma that “her loose tongue has set the entire country on fire”.
Her remarks in a TV debate sparked violence in some parts of the country and also led to several Islamic nations registering strong protests with India.
The court also asked her to appear on a TV channel and apologise to the nation.
The judge was hearing Ms Sharma’s petition seeking to club different investigations ongoing against her in several parts of the country.
The court rejected the plea, saying “the petition smacks of her arrogance, that the magistrates of the country are too small for her”.
Her lawyer told the court that she had apologised and withdrawn her comments.
But the judges said “she was too late to withdraw, and that too she withdrew conditionally, saying if sentiments were hurt”.
The court also said being a spokesperson of a party does not give a license to say anything hurtful.
Ms Sharma was the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) spokesperson when she made the remarks.
She was suspended from the part after several Islamic nations, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Iran, officially registered diplomatic protests.
The incident threatened to derail India’s improving diplomatic ties with these countries.
The court also observed that “her outburst is responsible for the unfortunate incident at Udaipur”.
The city in the northern state of Rajasthan is on the edge after two Muslim men beheaded a Hindu tailor. They filmed the act and uploaded it online, saying the attack was in retaliation to Kanhaiya Lal’s support to Ms Sharma on social media platforms. BBC
