News - Middle East: India is finding itself in the throes of a major diplomatic storm in the wake of Islamophobic remarks by the ruling party's spokespersons, drawing the ire of many Muslim-majority countries.

The latest to join the chorus are Pakistan and Afghanistan, who have reacted strongly to derogatory remarks by the spokespersons of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against Islam and the Prophet Mohammad.

Pakistan’s foreign ministry on Monday summoned India’s chargé d'affaires in Islamabad and conveyed its “strong condemnation” of remarks made by BJP leaders Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal.

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif earlier said the comments were “hurtful” and that India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “trampling religious freedoms and persecuting Muslims.”

The new rulers in Kabul also reacted strongly, saying the Indian government should not allow “such fanatics to insult Islam and provoke the feelings of Muslims.”

While India’s relations with Pakistan remain strained, it has also refused to recognize the Taliban government in Afghanistan.

Many Muslim countries have in recent days lodged an official protest against the Hindu nationalist government in New Delhi, calling the remarks provocative and unjustified.

Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Maldives, Jordan, Bahrain, and Libya have joined Iran, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Oman in lodging official complaints against India.

Iran’s foreign ministry on Sunday summoned the Indian envoy to Tehran to convey strong protest of the Iranian government and people over the sacrilegious comments against Prophet Muhammad, the ministry said in a statement.