New Delhi

National security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval has admitted that the controversy around the remarks made by the BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal on Islam's Prophet has damaged India’s reputation in the world as it ended up projecting India in a manner that is far from the truth.

“It has (damaged India’s reputation), he said in reply to a pointed question on the controversy that saw many Islamic countries questioning India.  He said due to the controversy, India has been projected or some misinformation has been spread against India which is far from the reality.

He said, “Probably there is a need for us to engage them and talk to them and convince them. And you will find that wherever we have gone, wherever we have engaged with the concerned people, both outside and inside, we have been able to convince them,” he said on this issue. 

“When people get emotionally aroused, their behaviour is a little disproportionate,” Doval said

Referring to the recent bombing of a Gurudwara in Kabul he said it was “unfortunate” and that India is committed to extending all help to minorities in that country. He said India has issued visas to a large number of Sikhs and some of them will come back once flights between the two countries resume.

“We will look at the cases of Sikhs very very sympathetically. It was a very unfortunate incident. We have assured Sikhs and Hindus there that India will stand by its commitment,” Doval said.