NEW DELHI, Feb 21: Several leading Indian politicians on Tuesday called upon the government to sever ties with Denmark to protest the publication of controversial cartoons.

Ram Gopal Yadav of the Samajwadi Party raised the issue in the lower house of parliament, urging the government to protest the cartoons and reported depiction of Hindu gods and goddesses on tissue paper by some European companies.

Yadav’s colleague Mohammed Shahid said the cartoon controversy had insulted Indian Muslims.

“India should sever all its bilateral relations with Denmark on the issue of the cartoons,” Mr Shahid said. “We demand that the Danish ambassador be summoned and the hurt and indignation that Indian Muslims feel be conveyed.”

Indian home minister Shivraj Patil replied by saying the government has already condemned the cartoons and ‘conveyed our reservations to the government of Denmark’.

“Hurting the sentiments of any section — whether they are Muslim, Christian or Buddhist — is not right,” Mr Patil said.

This week, an Indian Islamic court issued a fatwa condemning to death the 12 artists who drew the controversial images. The religious head of Idara-i-Sharia Darul Kaza Islamic court in Lucknow issued the decree.

Several major Indian businesses have offices in Denmark, and Danish firms have begun outsourcing to India. —AFP