India's MEA Condemns Personal Attacks on Emmanuel Macron Amid Row Over French President's 'Anti-Islam' Remarks

New Delhi, October 28: The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) strongly condemned the personal attacks mounted against French President Emmanuel Macron amid row over his alleged anti-Islam remarks. The Foreign Ministry, in a statement issued on Thursday, said the kind of language which certain global leaders are using against him is against the diplomatic form of discourse. Macron Draws Severe Flak From World Leaders.

"We strongly deplore the personal attacks in unacceptable language on French President Emmanuel Macron in violation of most basic standards of international discourse," the MEA said.

The statement by New Delhi comes amid fierce criticism of Macron from leaders of Pakistan, Turkey, Iran, Palestine, Chechnya and Algeria, among others. The most fierce among them has been Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who questioned the French premier's "mental balance" after his recent remarks on Islam.

Apart from Erdogan, Pakistan PM Imran Khan also lashed out at Macron, accusing him of fueling Islamophobia through his remarks. The French President has provoked and offended the Muslims of Europe and other parts of the world by endorsing the blasphemous sketches, he had said.

Macron had stoked the row last week, while attending the funeral of teacher Samuel Paty who was killed by an 18-year-old Muslim youth for showing the blasphemous cartoons to students during a class on secularism.

The French President, days after calling Islam as a religion "in crisis", said his government would crackdown on "radical Islam" and "Islamist separatists", and ensure that the religion - while being practised in the country - is compatible with the ethos and principles of France. He further added that the French society will continue to share the cartoons even if they are considered blasphemous.

The statement by Indian Foreign Ministry underlined that the country also condemns the murder of Paty, adding that such a "gruesome crime" cannot find any justification.

"We also condemn the brutal terrorist attack that took the life of a French teacher in a gruesome manner that has shocked the world. We offer our condolences to his family and people of France. There is no justification for terrorism for any reason or under any circumstance," the MEA said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 28, 2020 09:54 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).