INDIA is facing a major backlash from Muslim-majority countries after top officials of the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made remarks seen as insulting to Islam. 

At least five Arab nations have lodged official complaints over the comments made by spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal last week. 

Yesterday, Afghanistan became the latest country to register a protest with the Indian government and there have been growing calls in Arab nations for consumers to boycott Indian goods.  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi failed to take any action until Sunday, when the Qatari and Kuwaiti governments each summoned the Indian ambassador to explain the remarks, which have been interpreted as insulting Islam’s prophet Mohammed and his wife Aisha.

The BJP suspended Ms Sharma and expelled Mr Jindal and issued a rare statement saying that it “strongly denounces insult of any religious personalities.”

Saudi Arabia and Iran also complained and the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) said the remarks came in “context of intensifying hatred and abuse toward Islam in India and systematic practices against Muslims.”

Yesterday, India’s Foreign Ministry said the OIC comments were “narrow-minded,” although has not commented so far on the protests. 

Muslims comprise 14 per cent of India’s 1.4 billion people and have been subjected to hate speech and violent pogroms by supporters of the Hindu chauvinist BJP, with such incidents encouraged by Mr Modi’s failure to condemn the attacks.