Prophet remark row: Suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma gets gun license citing 'life threats'

Suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, whose controversial comments against Islam and Prophet Mohammed during a television debate triggered protests and violence in 2022, has now been given a gun licence.

Police sources said that Nupur has been given the licence to carry a firearm for her protection.Nupur Sharma alleged that she has been receiving death threats to her family and herself. Sharma has been not active on social media and has kept a low profile since June last year.

In May last year, Sharma was booked by the Mumbai and Hyderabad police for inciting hatred between communities and insulting religious sentiments after a video of her comments on the Prophet Mohammed made during a news debate went viral.

BJP had also suspended another spokesperson, Naveen Kumar Jindal, from the party over the controversial comments.

Nupur had later filed a complaint with the cybercrime unit of Delhi Police alleging death threats. She recently moved a plea before the licensing unit of the Delhi Police requesting that her life was in danger and that she needed a gun to carry with her round the clock for self-defence.

In her application, she told the police that she was receiving death threats and needed a pistol to carry. The police unit allowed her plea after taking opinions and assessing the gravity of the matter.There was also a diplomatic row with several Islamic countries like Iran and Qatar condemning her remarks.

The suspended BJP leader had withdrawn her remarks and said her comments were not to hurt anybody's religious feelings even as she was removed from the position of BJP spokesperson in June 2022 and suspended from the party.

The Supreme Court in its July 2022 order held Sharma responsible for igniting emotions in the country and said she was "single-handedly responsible for what was happening in the country at that time."

Later, in August, taking note of the threats received by Sharma, the Supreme Court clubbed all cases against her so that she does not have to travel to all states where cases against her are going on.

Sharma, following her suspension in June last year, has not been active on social media and kept a low profile.