SC asks Nupur Sharma to apologize publicly

The Indian Supreme Court on Friday blamed suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma for igniting tensions with her comments on the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and said she should "apologize to the whole country".

Sharma was solely responsible for what was happening in India because of the way she had stirred up emotions across the country, NDTV quoted the judges as saying.

Her comments, made during a TV debate last month, sparked massive protests across India, and several Gulf countries summoned Indian diplomats to issue severe reprimands.

"We saw the debate on how she was incited. But the way she said all this and later said she was a lawyer is shameful. She should apologize to the whole country," said Justice Surya Kant.

Nupur Sharma had requested the court to transfer to Delhi the multiple FIRs filed against her across the country, citing threats, but later withdrew the petition.

Her legal counsel said she had not used her name in the petition because of the threats. "She faces threats or she has become a security threat," the judges said.

The apex court also snubbed Sharma's argument on "equal treatment" and "no discrimination".

"But when you file FIRs against others, they are immediately arrested but when it is against you nobody dares touch you," the judges said.

Her comments had demonstrated her "obstinate and arrogant character", they added.

Her lawyer replied that she had only responded to a question by the anchor during the TV debate.

"There should have been a case against the host then," said the court.

When the lawyer referred to citizens’ right to speak, the judges replied: "In a democracy, everyone has the right to speak. In a democracy, grass has the right to grow and donkeys have the right to eat."

Sharma's argument citing an order on protecting journalistic freedom did not convince the court either.

"She cannot be put on the pedestal of a journalist, when she goes and lambasts on a TV debate and makes irresponsible statements without thinking about the ramifications and consequences that it will have on the fabric of society," said the Supreme Court.

India's ruling BJP said on June 5 that it had suspended its spokeswoman Nupur Sharma in response to comments she had made during a TV debate about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Sharma said on Twitter she had said some things in response to comments made about a Hindu god but she had no intention to hurt anyone's religious feelings.

"If my words have caused discomfort or hurt religious feelings of anyone whatsoever, I hereby unconditionally withdraw my statement," she said.

Protests erupted in different Indian states as well as in Bangladesh in the wake of the remarks on the Prophet (PBUH), which also triggered a major diplomatic row between India and many Muslim-majority countries – the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait and Qatar to name a few.