South Block
New Delhi: Extending support to French President Emmanuel Macron, India on Wednesday deplored the personal attacks in unacceptable language on him in violation of the most basic standards of international discourse.
Macron has been subjected to personal attacks and harsh observations in various parts of the world after he spoke in favour of the freedom of expression in the backdrop of the beheading of a school teacher in Paris who had shown some cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad to students.
“We strongly deplore the personal attacks in unacceptable language on President Emmanuel Macron in violation of the most basic standards of international discourse,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
‘‘We also condemn the brutal terrorist attack that took the life of a French school teacher in a gruesome manner that has shocked the world. We offer our condolences to his family and the people of France,” it added.
The French government has come under intense criticism in the Arab world and in Pakistan after the development.
This has been accompanied by strong social media reaction against Macron in various Muslim-majority societies.
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan repeatedly raised the issue in his public speeches in the last few days.
On Wednesday, he wrote to leaders of Muslim states to “act collectively to counter the growing Islamophobia in non-Muslim states.”
India is one of the first major democratic governments to express support to Macron.
“There is no justification for terrorism for any reason or under any circumstances,” the statement said.
