Kathmandu. President Emmanuel Macron, managed to enrage the global Muslim population when he claimed that Islam was “in crisis,” and refused to renounce caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad, after a French teacher was beheaded. It led to a call for boycotting French products in many of the muslim-majority nations.

Macron delivered a much awaited speech, earlier in October, wherein he defended France’s secular values and noted that “Islam is a religion that is in crisis all over the world today, we are not just seeing this in our country.” During an impassioned address, he vowed to fortify a 1905 law that sought to ban public exhibition of religious affiliation, in order to counter “Islamic separatism.” He successfully found himself on the receiving end of ire emanating from much of the Muslim world. Tensions further heightened with the beheading of a high school teacher on October 16.

Samuel Paty, was killed by a young Chechen refugee, 47 days after he showed cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad to his students in the classroom. President Macron, during Paty’s memorial service commented that, France would “not give up cartoons, drawings, even if others back down.”

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan targeted Macron for his views on Islam and stated that the French President needed “mental checks.” France responded by calling its envoys back from Turkey, mentioning that Erdogan’s statements were “unacceptable.” The hostilities between the Muslim world and France has only worsened with a massive rally being held in Bangladesh advocating for a boycott of French products, and #boycottfrenchproducts trending in Pakistan, serving as a few of the many examples. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan had also written a letter to Mark Zuckerberg, urging the co-founder of Facebook to ban content that promoted Islamophobia on the social media platform.

In a completely antithetical situation, #IStandWithFrance has been trending on Twitter in India on Monday and Tuesday. A group of social media users active on Twitter showcased their support for the French President and his stance against extremism. French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, has also published an art piece on Wednesday mocking the Turkish President for his comments against France.

Charlie Hebdo, released a caricature of the Turkish President, that shows Erdogan in his underwear with a beer in his hand, lifting up a woman’s burkha to reveal her naked bottom. A speech bubble that reads, “Ooh, the prophet!” in French is printed on the page. Turkish leaders have claimed that this will only sow “the seeds of hatred and animosity.”

Ibrahim Kalin, Erdogan’s spokesperson, had tweeted that “The aim of these publications, that are devoid of morality and decency, is to sow seeds of hatred and animosity. To turn freedom of expression into hostility towards religion and belief can only be the product of a sick mentality.”

Fuat Oktay, Turkey’s Vice-President also took to twitter to express his displeasure. He called “on the moral and conscientious international community to speak out against this disgrace,” and further condemned what he referred to as the “incorrigible French rag’s immoral publication concerning” Erdogan.

The rift between the Muslim world and France is deepening. The Prophet Muhammad’s cartoons were exhibited on government buildings on Friday in France in solidarity with Macron, and discontentment is only growing within various Muslim groups.