Kuwait To Deport Indians, Expats From Other Countries For Protesting Over Prophet Comment Row

Kuwait, which was one of the first middle-eastern countries to register an official protest with India over the objectionable comments made against Prophet Muhmmad by BJP leaders Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal is reportedly deporting expats who held demonstrations there.

On Friday, there were protests against the comments in India and across the Islamic world.

Reuters

Expats can't hold protests in Kuwait

Similar demonstrations were also held in Kuwait, by Indians and Muslims from other countries, condemning the comments and demanding strict punishment for the duo.

But according to Arab News, such demonstrations are illegal in Kuwait and those who took part could be soon in trouble.

The Kuwaiti government has decided to arrest and deport an unspecified number of expats who participated in a protest.

Instructions have been issued to arrest expats from the Fahaheel area who organised a demonstration after Friday prayers in support of Prophet Muhammad.

Kuwait said that the protestors will be deported to their respective countries as they violated the laws and regulations of the country which stipulates that sit-ins or demonstrations by expats are not to be organised in the Gulf nation.

AFP

Number of those getting affected unknown

¡°The detectives are in the process of arresting them and referring to the deportation center to be deported to their countries and will be banned from entering Kuwait again,¡± reported Al Rai, a Kuwaiti newspaper.

The number of people that could be affected or their nationalities are yet unknown.

There are over 10-lakh Indians living and working in Kuwait, making it the largest expat community in the country.

Kuwait's response to the controversial comments

Earlier, the Kuwait Foreign Ministry had summoned Indian Ambassador to Kuwait Sibi George and handed over an official protest note by the Assistant Secretary of State for Asia Affairs expressing the country's "categorical rejection and condemnation" of the statements issued by an official of the ruling party against the Prophet.

Reuters

The ministry welcomed the statement issued by the ruling party in India, in which it announced the suspension of the leader.

India's Ministry of External Affairs said the government has made it clear that the remarks do not reflect the views of the government.

"We have made it pretty clear that tweets and comments do not reflect views of the government," MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said at a recent media briefing.

"This has been conveyed to our interlocutors as also the fact that action has been taken by the concerned quarters against those who made the comments and tweets. I do not think I have anything additional to say on this," he had said.

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