Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will hold nationwide protests on Saturday against the “derogatory” remarks made by Pakistani foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari against Prime Minister Narendra Modi that sparked outrage across the country.

“The protests will be held in all the state capitals across the country. BJP karyakartas will burn the effigy of Pakistan and Pakistani Foreign Minister and will strongly condemn the shameful statement of Pakistani Foreign Minister,” BJP said in a statement on Friday. This outrage comes in response to the Pakistani foreign minister’s defamatory remarks made during a press conference at the United Nations in New York.

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Describing Bilawal Bhutto’s remark as “highly derogatory and full of cowardice”, BJP said the remarks were given to divert global attention from Pakistan’s collapsing economy, lawlessness and anarchy in Pakistan.

“The statement is also aimed at misleading the world and divert global attention from Pakistan’s collapsing economy, lawlessness and anarchy in Pakistan, simmering differences in the Pakistani army, its deteriorating global relations and the fact that Pakistan has become the major sanctuary for terrorists,” it said.

On Friday, BJP workers staged a protest outside Pakistan High Commission in Delhi against Bilawal’s statement. The BJP said that India’s foreign policy is being appreciated globally, while Pakistan is facing backlash from even smaller nations.

“On one hand we have our Prime Minister Narendra Modi under whose leadership India has left its indelible mark on various global fora, and on the other hand, we have Pakistan which has faced ridicule and insult on various international platforms. On one hand, India’s foreign policy is being appreciated globally, while on the other hand, Pakistan is facing backlash from even smaller nations,” the BJP said.

The party said that everyone saw how even the Pakistani students were rescued during the rescue mission carried out during the Russia-Ukraine conflict which was carried out under the guidance of PM Modi.

BJP said the kind of language Bilawal Bhutto has used is extremely reprehensible which does not reflect the true spirit of statesmanship and also crosses the limit of decency in public life.

“Does Bilawal Bhutto even have the stature to comment about our Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji who is a true statesman and a highly respected global leader! This demeaning statement of Bilawal Bhutto had further lowered the image of Pakistan on the global platform,” it added.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also slammed Pakistan’s Foreign Minister for his “uncivilized outburst” at Prime Minister Modi and said that “these comments are a new low, even for Pakistan.”

“Pakistan foreign minister’s frustration would be better directed towards the masterminds of terrorist enterprises in his own country, who have made terrorism a part of their state policy. Pakistan needs to change its own mindset or remain a pariah,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in response to media queries.