Macron has been facing criticism from various Muslim-majority countries after he took a tough stand on radical Islam and defended cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. The French President said that Islam was a religion in “crisis”.
New Delhi:
India strongly deplored the personal attacks against French President Emmanuel Macron following his tough stance on radical Islam, calling it a violation of the most basic standards of international discourse.
In a strongly-worded statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also condemned the brutal terrorist attack that took the life of a French teacher in a gruesome manner and asserted that there is no justification for terrorism for any reason or under any circumstance.
"We strongly deplore the personal attacks in unacceptable language on President Emmanuel Macron in violation of the most basic standards of international discourse," the MEA said.
"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 the people of France," it said.
Following the MEA statement, French Ambassador to India Emmanuel Lenain thanked India saying both countries can count on each other in the fight against terrorism.
Thank you @MEAIndia. France and India can always count on each other in the fight against terrorism.https://t.co/oXZ0XpKNSZpic.twitter.com/iGylUYxUB6
— Emmanuel Lenain (@FranceinIndia) October 28, 2020
Macron has been facing criticism from various Muslim-majority countries after he took a tough stand on radical Islam and defended cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. The French President said that Islam was a religion in “crisis”.
His comments came in the backdrop of the beheading of French teacher Samuel Paty on October 16 outside Paris in broad daylight. He had shown caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad to his students.
President Macron called it an act of Islamist terrorism after it emerged that the Muslim immigrant had taken offence to Paty showing his students Charlie Hebdo cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, in a class on freedom of expression.
The teacher had given Muslim students the option not to attend the class beforehand.
Though the student Anzorov was shot dead by police later, this murder is one of the many Islamist terror attacks France has suffered in the last two decades.
Macron described Paty as a "compatriot killed for teaching children freedom of speech", triggering a larger debate about radical Islam in the country.
Several massive protest rallies against radical Islamism were organized in France since.
However, Islamic chauvinists across the world posted abuses against Macron and French authorities, online.
In a confrontational move, staunch Muslims in France held prayers at a public spot, provoking nationalists to sing the national anthem right across them.
According to an opinion poll, 87 per cent people in France feel that their secularist society is under threat and 79 per cent believe that Islamism has declared war on the French republic.
(With inputs from IANS)
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