India's ruling party asks officials to exercise caution on religious issues after Islamic nations protest

People holding placards shout slogans demanding the arrest of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member Nupur Sharma for her blasphemous comments on Prophet Mohammed, on a street in Mumbai, India, June 6, 2022. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas

MUMBAI (Reuters) - Leaders of India's Hindu nationalist ruling party on Tuesday instructed officials to be "extremely cautious" when talking about religion on public platforms after derogatory remarks about the Prophet Mohammad drew protests from Islamic nations.

India's minority Muslims have felt more pressure on everything from freedom of worship to hijab head scarves under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party. There were Hindu-Muslim clashes during religious processions recently, following deadly riots in 2019-20.