China reacts on Nupur Sharma controversy, says ‘all religions need to be respected’

The controversy surrounding Nupur Sharma and her comments on Prophet Muhammad had already crossed borders, with several Gulf countries condemning her words. Now, neighbouring country China has also issued a statement on the much-talked-about row.

China on Monday issued an official statement regarding the Nupur Sharma row, saying that all religions and civilizations should be respected. Beijing further expressed hope that the situation is handled properly by the concerned authorities and administration.

Beijing, which itself faces serious allegations of a mass crackdown on Uygur Muslims in the volatile Xinjiang province, said, “China always believes that different civilisations and religions should respect each other and live together as equals.”

"We have noted relevant reports and hope that the situation will be handled properly," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing responding to a question from the official Chinese media on the protests triggered by the comments made by the BJP leaders.

The Chinese spokesperson further added, “It is always important to discard pride and prejudice, better understand the differences between one's own civilisation and other civilisations, and promote exchanges, dialogue, and harmonious coexistence between civilizations.”

The comments by Wang were posted on the official website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Several countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait had slammed the comments made by Nupur Sharma during a TV news debate last month.

After the backlash received by the Islamic community and several Gulf countries, the BJP expelled its spokesperson Nupur Sharma and Delhi media-in-charge Naveen Jindal over their controversial remarks against Prophet Muhammad.

Protests against the comments made by Nupur Sharma erupted across the country on Friday, with demonstrations taking place in 14 total Indian states on June 10. Several agitations also turned violent, with reports of stone-pelting and arson surfacing from parts of India.

The Indian authorities jumped into action to control the protests taking place across the country, cracking down on the agitators. Many of the protestors said that the suspension of Nupur Sharma is not enough and that she should be arrested, while some angry protestors said that she should be hanged.

(With PTI inputs)

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