Award reflects growing global trust in Modi's leadership: BJP on Indonesia's top civilian honour for PM

New Delhi, Jul 7 (PTI) The BJP on Tuesday said Indonesia's highest civilian honour for Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a "resounding slap" on the opposition for spreading the "Islamophobia narrative". The latest honour is a strong endorsement of India's diplomacy under Modi, the party asserted. The remarks came after Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday was conferred with Indonesia's highest civilian honour, the 'Bintang Adipurna of the Republic of Indonesia'. BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said the latest recognition reflects growing global trust in Modi's leadership and India's rising stature on the world stage. "Today is a difficult day for Modi baiters, diplomacy doubters and Islamophobia insurgents," he said in a video statement. Referring to Indonesia as the country with the highest Muslim population, he said the honour also demolishes allegations that Modi and his government are "anti-Muslim". "But there is yet another significant aspect of this national civilian honour that has been given to him. It has been conferred by Indonesia, which has the highest Muslim population. "And this is not the first award he is getting from a Muslim nation. Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Maldives, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt and Oman -- all Muslim nations -- have given the highest civilian honour to Prime Minister Modi," he said. Poonawalla alleged that the honours conferred by Muslim-majority countries expose the opposition's "Islamophobia narrative". There goes the Islamophobia narrative, crashing down. Is Prime Minister Modi and his government anti-Muslim? And despite that, these governments are giving him the highest civilian honour? Obviously not," he said. "So today, those who have been doubting our diplomacy and those who have been insurgents of the Islamophobia narrative have got a resounding slap from this highest civilian honour being given to Prime Minister Modi," Poonawalla added. The BJP spokesperson said India's diplomacy under Modi has earned the confidence of countries and helped India emerge as a bridge in a divided world. "Be it the Western camp or the Eastern camp, be it Russia or Ukraine, be it Israel or Palestine, all of them trust Modi, and India has emerged as a bridge between a divided world," Poonawalla said. Poonawalla claimed Modi has received well over 30 international civilian honours, more than all previous prime ministers put together. "He has received well over 30 such civilian honours. If you put all the other prime ministers together -- Nehru ji, Indira ji, Rajiv ji, Manmohan Singh ji and others -- they do not add up to even half of that. That, in itself, is an indication of how the world trusts Prime Minister Modi," he said. PTI ADI DV DV