Last Updated on October 29, 2020 at 3:35 pm
India has come out in support of the French President Emmanuel Macron over his remarks on the recent beheading of a teacher after which he got targeted by Pakistan and Turkey. Many European countries have also condemned the personal attacks on the French President.
On October 16, an 18-year-old boy beheaded his teacher Samuel Paty after the latter showed caricatures of the Islamic Prophet Mohammed in a class on freedom of expression. Macron condemned the murder. He said that France will continue to defend freedom and will bring the value of secularism. He said that France will not give up cartoons and drawings, even if others back down.
In a response, The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Macron is running an anti-Islamic agenda and he needs a mental health checkup. Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan said that Macron is encouraging anti-Muslim sentiments and provoking Muslims. Along with Turkey and Pakistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia have too condemned the cartoons.
In India, the Ministry of External Affairs said that it strongly feels that the personal attacks is unacceptable and language on President Emmanuel Macron is in violation of the most basic standards of international discourse. “We also condemn the terrorist attack that took the life of a French teacher. We offer our condolences to the family of the victim and people of France. Terrorism can not be justified for any reason or under any circumstance” the statement said.
India made its stand just one day before the visit of Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla to France, Germany and the United Kingdom. His visit is scheduled from October 29 to November 4. France has a history of terrorist attacks around the cartoons and caricatures of religious figures. But, this is the first time when India decided to make its stand clear.
In March 2006, widespread protests over the cartoons of the Prophet in a Danish newspaper led to the cancellation of its Prime Minister’s visit to India. Then India pushed for cancellation saying that it was not an optimal time for visit.
France has been supportive of India in the United Nations Security Council over Kashmir and many other issues.
