Dutch Far-right Leader Wilders Holds Phone Conversation with Nupur Sharma

NEW DELHI:
Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders on Monday held a telephonic conversation with suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.

Wilders, who leads the nationalist Freedom Party in the Netherlands, posted a message on X: “Had a great talk with @NupurSharmaBJP today, she is a symbol of freedom, not only for India but for the whole free world. Her loss of personal freedom and legal troubles in the last two years are most unfair ‘cause she did nothing wrong but speak the truth. What a brave lady!”

Nupur Sharma’s controversial comments on Prophet Mohammed triggered widespread protests in 2022.

Wilders had in February sent a personal message of support to her describing her as a brave leader. Taking to his official X account, Wilders had then posted a message, saying: “I sent a personal message of support to the brave Nupur Sharma, who is threatened by Islamists for years now only for speaking the truth. Freedom loving people of all over the world should support her. I hope to meet her one day while visiting India.”

The Dutch leader’s Freedom Party (PVV) had won the election last year but was well short of a majority and needed coalition partners. As a result, the anti-Islam populist leader abandoned his bid to become Prime Minister.

“I can only become prime minister if ALL parties in the coalition support it. That was not the case,” he wrote on X.