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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Muslim Nations Protest 'Insulting' Comments from Indian Party Leaders
Several Muslim-majority countries have protested comments made by top officials of India's governing party. They accused the party officials of making insulting statements about Islam and the Prophet Muhammad.
At least five Arab nations have entered official protests to Indian diplomats1. Neighboring Pakistan and Afghanistan also reacted strongly to the comments made by two officials from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
On social media, some Muslims have called for a boycott2 of Indian goods. And in parts of India, it has also led to protests against Modi's ruling party.
Increasing violence against Muslims
Over the years, Indian Muslims have often been targeted for things such as their food, clothing and inter-religious marriages. Rights groups such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have warned that attacks against Indian Muslims could increase.
Rights groups have also accused Modi's governing party of ignoring and sometimes enabling hate speech against Muslims.
Modi's party denies the accusations3, but India's Muslims say attacks against them and their religion have increased sharply.
The anger has been growing since last week, after the two BJP officials made comments that were seen as insulting Islam's Prophet Muhammad and his wife Aisha.
Modi's party took no action against the officials until Sunday. That is when several Arab nations, starting with Qatar and Kuwait, called their Indian ambassadors to protest. Saudi Arabia and Iran also added their voices to the protest.
The BJP suspended the officials and said it "strongly denounces insult of any religious personalities4." India's embassies in Qatar and Kuwait released a statement saying the views expressed about the Prophet Muhammad and Islam were not those of the Indian government and were made by "fringe elements."
Qatar's Foreign Ministry5, however, said it expected a public apology from the Indian government. And Kuwait warned that if the comments go unpunished, India would see "an increase of extremism and hatred6."
The Grand Mufti of Oman called the action of Modi's party toward Islam a form of "war." And Egypt's Al-Azhar Mosque7, the Sunni world's top center of religious learning, described the remarks as "real terrorism (that) can plunge8 the entire world into severe crises and deadly wars."
Modi's party also faced anger from some of its own supporters, but it was for a different reason. Many Hindu nationalists wrote on social media that the government was giving in to international pressure.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said in a statement: "These insults come in the context of the increasing intensity9 in hatred and insults to Islam in India and the systematic10 harassment11 of Muslims."
The 57-member organization noted12 bans on head coverings in classrooms in some Indian states and the destruction of Muslim property as examples of the Indian government's unfair treatment of Muslims.
More recently, religious tensions increased after Hindus went to court in northern Varanasi city to seek permission to pray at a 17th-century Muslim religious center. They argued that the mosque was built on the ruins of an old Hindu temple.
Words in This Story
prophet - n. a member of some religions who delivers messages that are believed to have come from God.
view - n. an opinion or way of thinking about something
fringe - n. a group with extreme views
plunge - v. drop suddenly
context - n. the situation in which something happens
harassment - n. act of repeatedly attack or bother (someone)
mosque - n. a building used for Muslim religious services
temple - n. a Buddhist/Hindu/Jewish/Mormon building for worship
1 diplomats | |
n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 );有手腕的人,善于交际的人 | |
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2 boycott | |
n./v.(联合)抵制,拒绝参与 | |
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3 accusations | |
n.指责( accusation的名词复数 );指控;控告;(被告发、控告的)罪名 | |
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4 personalities | |
n. 诽谤,(对某人容貌、性格等所进行的)人身攻击; 人身攻击;人格, 个性, 名人( personality的名词复数 ) | |
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5 ministry | |
n.(政府的)部;牧师 | |
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6 hatred | |
n.憎恶,憎恨,仇恨 | |
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7 mosque | |
n.清真寺 | |
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8 plunge | |
v.跳入,(使)投入,(使)陷入;猛冲 | |
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9 intensity | |
n.强烈,剧烈;强度;烈度 | |
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10 systematic | |
adj.有系统的,有计划的,有方法的 | |
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11 harassment | |
n.骚扰,扰乱,烦恼,烦乱 | |
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12 noted | |
adj.著名的,知名的 | |
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