Venomous bigots masquerading as nationalists are doing the most damage to India's image internationally as evidenced by the strong stance taken by Kuwait, Iran and Qatar against the BJP's spokespersons' remarks on Prophet Mohammed in TV debates. The three nations went so far as to ask for a public apology and official condemnation from the Indian government; Qatar in fact cancelled our Vice President's lunch with their deputy emir which is a humungous insult in itself. Also the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) has called upon the UN to take measures to address the practices targeting Muslims in India. Daily we see vitriol being spewed by saffron spox against minorities in print and electronic media but the government takes no action. The expulsion of the spokies and denouncing the 'insult of any religious personalities of any religion' by the party is merely an afterthought , curiously the high command did not censure its two party leaders for over a week even as violence erupted in Kanpur. The BJP's action came only after there was widespread anger in the Middle East on whom we are dependent most for oil and gas supplies.
