Arab intellectuals condemn the rising Islamophobia in India, call International community to take action
by Shoeb Ahmed Siddiqui
Abusing Muslims and denigrating Islam has become the normality for most of the right-wing individuals working in the Gulf…
The rising Islamophobia from Indian expats living in the Gulf nations has come under the radar of many gulf citizens, activists and intellectuals as not only the crime against Muslims in India has increased but also the attacks from the right-wing individuals on social media has seen a rise after the Coronavirus pandemic was given a communal angle by Indian Media.
Right-wing Indian expats in Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait etc., are seen blaming Muslims for the spread of Coronavirus, which has led them to criticize Islam and dub the spread as ‘Corona Jihad’ on social media.
Despite many Indians sacked by Gulf states for their posts on social media, there is a growing list of expats who are landing in trouble for their alleged Islamophobic posts in the recent days.
An Indian national working as a chief accountant in Dubai was sacked after his posts went viral evoking criticism. Another individual working at a facilities management company was sacked after his post caused outrage on social media, there were other individuals, who were reported to Dubai police for mocking Islam and Muslims.
A branch of Burger King in Kuwait has sacked one of its employees after his post went viral. The BK management also reiterated that these things will not be tolerated. Elsewhere an Indian lost his job for his anti-Muslim rants on social media after being reported to Kuwait authorities.
The allegations and hostility has been criticized by many Gulf Citizens including Zahrani Abidi, Abdur Rahman Nassar, and Princess Hend Al Qassimi, and many others.
Abdur Rahman Nassar from Kuwait has been highly vocal about the way Indian Muslims are treated, despite Indian expats from 53 Muslim countries remitting $120 Billion per year to India.
Every year, more than 55 billion $ are transferred to India from the Gulf countries, and more than 120 billion annually from all Muslim countries.
— عبدالرحمن النصار (@alnassar_kw) April 16, 2020
Indians (mostly Hindus) are treated well in these countries.
In return, how are Muslims treated in India?#india#Indian
In 53 Muslim countries Indians where most of them Hindu, are treated with humanity and respect ..
— عبدالرحمن النصار (@alnassar_kw) April 15, 2020
How do Muslims are treated in India?
Stop RSS terrorism#India pic.twitter.com/PSXGLQbjxz
— عبدالرحمن النصار (@alnassar_kw) April 17, 2020
RSS do not represent Hindu .. Many Hindus are humanists and reject injustice pic.twitter.com/SDJRYZpDgp
— عبدالرحمن النصار (@alnassar_kw) April 18, 2020
Princess Hend al Qassimi of the Sharjah Royal Family, warned a twitter user after he put out several tweets targeting Muslims over the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also used foul language and wrote, “do whatever you want to do”, in a fiery tweet Princess responded to the user “You make your bread and butter from this land which you scorn and your ridicule will not go unnoticed.”
Later the user deactivated all his social media profiles after Princess warned him of dire consequences.
The ruling family is friends with Indians, but as a royal your rudeness is not welcome. All employees are paid to work, no one comes for free. You make your bread and butter from this land which you scorn and your ridicule will not go unnoticed.
— Princess Hend Al Qassimi (@LadyVelvet_HFQ) April 15, 2020
UAE’s Guinness World Record Holder Suhail Al Zarooni tweeted that, UAE has hosted and interacted with many communities of various religious backgrounds, so it can never support any element which disrespects any sentiment of any religion.
We have for the last many years hosted and interacted with many communities of various religious backgrounds and can never support any element which disrespects any sentiment of any religion.
— Suhail Al Zarooni (@SuhailAlZarooni) April 17, 2020
Noora Al Ghurair, an Emarti businesswoman, called out another twitter user, who is based in Dubai for past 20 years, for her tweet against Sunni Muslims, Noora tagged Dubai police and warned that “Any call for boycott & hatred will not be accepted in our lands”.
We will let @DubaiPoliceHQ examine your tweets. Any call for boycott & hatred will not be accepted in our lands. My timeline is being filled with your other hateful tweets. My head is still reeling the way you connected dots all the way to Sunnis. @HSajwanization one more.
— Noora AlGhurair (@AlGhurair98) April 16, 2020
Mejbel Al Sharika, a Kuwaiti Lawyer and Director of International Human Rights has announced to voluntarily adopt the cause of Indian Muslims at United Nations Human Council in Geneva, he has also called out Indian Muslims to help in documenting the evidence of violence.
I will adopt the cause of Muslims in India at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva for free#india
— المحامي⚖مجبل الشريكة (@MJALSHRIKA) April 17, 2020
I invite all lawyers and human rights activists to join with us to remove the injustice of the poor in India by extremists that the conductor of the case to the criminal court so that every criminal is held accountable#india
— المحامي⚖مجبل الشريكة (@MJALSHRIKA) April 17, 2020
Some brothers and lawyers called me and joined me. I am collecting evidence to accompany the complaint that will be submitted to His Excellency the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court#india
— المحامي⚖مجبل الشريكة (@MJALSHRIKA) April 18, 2020
Saudi Scholar Abidi Zahrani has proposed to list all those individuals spreading hatred against Muslims and Islam while working in GCC and the Middle-East.
I propose to all respected followers to list all militant Hindus who are working in the GCC and spreading hate against #Islam #Muslims or our be loved Prophet Mhmd PBUH under this #hashtag #Send_Hindutva_Back_home
— م/ عبيدي الزهراني (@ZahraniAbidi) April 12, 2020
show a copies of their bio.
After reviewing replies I noticed as outsiders we don’t know the complications of India populations and since we are the nation of justice and fairness
— م/ عبيدي الزهراني (@ZahraniAbidi) April 12, 2020
I suggest to change the hashtag to#Send_hindutva_back_home
This will satisfy all Indiana both Muslims and Hindus
Columnist of Kuwait’s Al-Anba news Dr. Mohammed Al-Sharika has tweeted in support of Indian Muslims that they are subjected to radical practices and most brutal crimes, and urged the International communities to take action to save lives.
#Muslims in #India are subjected to radical practices and most brutal crimes in time of injustice. International community are called to take action to save lives of innocents
— د. محمد الشريكة (@DrAlsharija) April 17, 2020
In another tweet, he called the injustices and crimes committed against Indian Muslims as “hostile and crimes against humanity”.
What is happening in #India against #Muslims can only be regarded as hostile and #crimes against humanity
— د. محمد الشريكة (@DrAlsharija) April 17, 2020
Abusing Muslims and denigrating Islam has become the normality for most of the right-wing individuals working in the Gulf, the resonance from prominent Gulf citizens has made Muslims take upon themselves the task of reporting individuals spreading hatred against Islam and Muslims while earning and living tax-free life in Gulf countries. All of which is the result of section of the Indian Media spreading hate against Muslims, across large swathes of Indian population.
A backlash from Muslim nations can cause havoc of foreign remittance, buttressed by Muslims of Indians working in these nations.
Shoeb Ahmed is a contributor at The Milli Chronicle and hold Masters in Construction Technology.