Suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma made a public appearance in Delhi on Sunday, over a year after remaining away from public glare following the controversy over her remarks on Prophet Muhammad. Sharma was present at the premier show of filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri’s upcoming movie ‘The Vaccine War’.

Sharma was last seen in late May 2022 during a heated TV debate, which caused an uproar and backlash from citizens. Her last tweet was dated June 5, 2022, on X, formerly Twitter, where she gave clarifications and later withdrew them unconditionally.

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During the event, Sharma joined the film’s cast and creators, expressing her gratitude to the vaccine scientists in attendance, saying, “I sincerely thank all of you. It’s your efforts that have kept us Indians alive today.”

“I’ll say just one thing – Bharat Mata Ki Jai!” Sharma said. “And to India,” she added, quickly correcting herself.

Director Vivek Agnihotri also tweeted “Bharat Mata Ki Jai,” reposting her speech during the event promotion, coming in support of the suspended leader on X.

The controversy began when she made controversial remarks about the Islamic Prophet Muhammad during a TV debate regarding the Gyanvapi Mosque dispute, which caused a lot of global outrage. These remarks were strongly condemned by Islamic nations.

According to Islam, Prophet Muhammad is considered the founder of Islam and the proclaimer of the Quran, Islam’s sacred scripture, making him of great significance in Islamic tradition.

Several Gulf countries, including allies and partners of India, issued strong condemnations and threatened to boycott Indian goods as a result. The BJP suspended Nupur Sharma, and Naveen Kumar Jindal, the leader of the party’s Delhi media unit, faced criticism for supporting and reposting her controversial tweets, leading to his expulsion from the party.

The Supreme Court also reprimanded Sharma’s statements, stating that “her loose tongue has set the entire country on fire” and blamed her for “igniting emotions across the country.”