Why in news?
Cautioning Indians in the United Arab Emirates against a spate of religiously derogatory posts, India’s Ambassador to the UAE said any discrimination would not be tolerated.
Details
- India and UAE share the value of non-discrimination on any grounds.
- Discrimination is against our moral fabric and the Rule of law. Indian nationals in the UAE should always remember this.
- In the past month of April, at least six Indians have lost jobs or face charges over social media posts linking the coronavirus pandemic to the Muslim community in India.
- The issue, according to at least two sources aware of the discussions, is creating a greater diplomatic strain for New Delhi, even as it negotiates with UAE officials who have been pushing for India to repatriate thousands of citizens who have lost jobs with companies in the Emirates due to COVID-19.
- An estimated 3.3 million Indians live and work in the UAE.
- Posts on social media by a number of Indian expatriates have been widely reported in UAE media, inviting censure from one member of the Royal family, Sharjah Princess Hend Faisal Al Qassemi, who publicly threatened Indians working in the UAE with deportation.
- Derogatory posts by some Indians feed into the propaganda that hostile countries like Pakistan try to amplify to mold public perception about India, and that adds to the diplomatic challenges the government faces.
