The All India Muslim Personal Law Board on Tuesday condemned the derogatory comments made by suspended Bharatiya Janata Party leader T Raja Singh about Prophet Muhammad.

The non-profit organisation said Singh’s remarks were obscene, uncultured and hurtful. It demanded the government take steps to stop such incidents.

On Monday, Singh, the legislator from the Goshamahal constituency, uploaded a video on YouTube, in which he repeated suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s disparaging remarks about the Prophet.

Sharma’s comments had led to a spate of violence and unrest in several parts of the country in June. It had also caused a major diplomatic row, with several Arab countries taking objection to them. The BJP was forced to suspend her.

Similarly, Singh’s video led to large-scale protests in Hyderabad as many Muslim organisations held demonstrations outside the police stations in the city, according to The Indian Express. He was subsequently arrested by the police but was released hours later after a Hyderabad court granted him bail.

Singh claimed his remarks were part of a comic video posted in reaction to comedian Munawar Faruqui’s show held in Hyderabad on August 20. A day earlier, the Hyderabad Police had put Singh under house arrest after he threatened to beat up Faruqui and burn down the venue where he was scheduled to perform.

“My video was aimed at Faruqui and I stand by my words, and I did not hurt anyone’s sentiments,” the BJP leader said. “This was the first part of the video, there will be a second video too.”

Meanwhile, the BJP, while suspending Singh, said in a statement that he had “expressed views contrary to the party’s position on various matters”.

On Tuesday, All India Muslim Personal Law Board General Secretary Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani said that Prophet Muhammad was dearer to all Muslims than their own existence and their children.

“Derogatory words about him are unbearable for Muslims but unfortunately communal leaders have started speaking against the Prophet to hurt the sentiments of the Muslims,” he said in a statement,

Rahmani further urged Muslims to show patience and asked the government to use the power of law to bring to justice such “criminals”.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind chief Maulana Mahmood Madani said that Raja’s remarks against the Prophet were very shameful and shocking, PTI reported.

Madani said the arrest of Singh and the disciplinary action taken by the BJP against him were the need of the hour, but added that such offenders should be given “exemplary punishment”.

He added that he has been demanding that a law be made to protect the sanctity of religious figures.