Saturday, April 25, 2020

GCC and Arab Support for Indian Muslims (JR 225)

GCC and Arab Support for Indian Muslims (JR 225)
Introduction
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.
Indian Reaction
The attack on Muslims had a backlash and GCC and Arab States started to remove Right Wing Hindus from jobs, alarmed at this development Midi reacted. Prime Minister   Modi, while addressing parliamentarians via video conferencing on April 9, 2020, compared the situation in the country to a ‘social emergency’ but did not mention how Muslims were being targeted as a result of rumor mongering and fake news spread by news channels and leaders from his own political party.
Amit Malviya, who heads BJP’s IT cell, is one of those posting provocative statements on Twitter. On April 1, 2020 he tweeted saying, ‘Delhi’s dark underbelly is exploding! Last 3 months have seen an Islamic insurrection of sorts, first in the name of anti-CAA protests from Shaheen Bagh to Jamia, Jaffrabad to Seelampur. And now the illegal gathering of the radical Tablighi Jamaat at the markaz. It needs a fix!
On April 6, 2020, BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje claimed that members of Tablighi Jamaat who were admitted to a hospital in Belagavi in Karnataka were spitting, misbehaving with the hotel staff, and dancing and gesturing indecently. Her claim was later denied by the deputy commissioner of the district and hospital authorities. No action was taken against her by her party.
On April 4, 2020, Himachal Pradesh BJP chief Rajeev Bindal claimed that ‘the Centre and state governments are leaving no stone unturned in the decisive fight against COVID-19 but some people, including Tablighi Jamaat, members are moving like human bombs to thwart their efforts’. On April 9, 2020, senior BJP leader and former chief minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis also referred to members of Tablighi Jamaat who were returning from Delhi as ‘human bombs’.
The BJP was clearly using the pandemic to target members of the Tablighi Jamaat – and by extension all Muslims. Which is why Prime Minister Modi’s statement on Twitter on April 19, 2020, came as a surprise to many. He tweeted to say,
‘COVID-19 does not see race, religion, colour, caste, creed, language or borders before striking it. Our response and conduct thereafter should attach primacy to unity and brotherhood. We are in this together’.
If the message was aimed at people within India, his choice of medium was odd. The words were taken from an article he wrote in English for the LinkedIn networking website, and intended for a global and not an Indian audience. The timing of Modi’s ‘message’ was perhaps not a coincidence, as it has come in handy for Indian ambassadors in the Gulf dealing with massive local pushback over the various Islamophobic incidents that have occurred across India in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. The Organisation of Islamic Conference has also raised concerns about this:



2/2 #OIC-IPHRC urges the #Indian Govt to take urgent steps to stop the growing tide of #Islamophobia in India and protect the rights of its persecuted #Muslim minority as per its obligations under int"l HR law.

Thanks to anti-Muslim bias in the media and even official messaging over the coronavirus in India, the intelligentsia in India-friendly Gulf countries like Kuwait and the UAE has started critically examining the ruling BJP’s attitudes towards Muslims and Arabs.
A 2015 tweet from BJP MP Tejasvi Surya was dug out and shared by prominent Arab voices. The tweet said, ‘95% Arab women have never had an orgasm in the last few hundred years. Every mother has produced kids as act of sex and not love’.
Surya hurriedly deleted his offensive tweet but unfortunately for the young BJP leader the damage had already been done. A screenshot of his tweet was picked up by activists like Abdur Rahman Nassar from Kuwait, who have a large following on social media, and circulated.
Nassar tagged the PMO and Modi’s personal account and tweeted, ‘Prime Minister…An Indian Member of Parliament accuses Arab women, and we Arabs are asking for his membership to be dropped!!’.



Prime Minister ..
An Indian Member of Parliament accuses Arab women, and we Arabs are asking for his membership to be dropped !!@narendramodi
@PMOIndia


Other tweets from Nassar displayed the full import of the criticism and why the sentiment could not be ignored by the government.



In Kuwait .. the #Indian community tops Koruna statistics .. and is treated in the finest hospital in Kuwait ..

In Kuwait, there is no difference between the religions and nationalities of the sick .. This is justice
#Rss_terrorists





Every year, more than 55 billion $ are transferred to India from the Gulf countries, and more than 120 billion annually from all Muslim countries.

Indians (mostly Hindus) are treated well in these countries.

In return, how are Muslims treated in India?
#india#Indian

https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1252356493577302027/QWNGe1-w_normal.jpg


In 53 Muslim countries Indians where most of them Hindu, are treated with humanity and respect ..

How do Muslims are treated in India?

Nassar’s claim that expats from 53 Muslim countries remit $120 billion annually to India had obviously touched a raw nerve. The same sentiment was echoed by Mejbal Al Sharika, a Kuwaiti lawyer and director of International Human Rights. He too tagged a picture of BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, tagged the prime minister’s office and Narendra Modi’s personal account and wrote,
‘Respected Prime Minister, India’s relation with the Arab world has been that of mutual respect. Do you allow your parliamentarian to publicly humiliate our women? We expect your urgent punitive action against @Tejasvi_Surya for his disgraceful comment’.
A closer look at his twitter account reveals that Sharika too has opened a front against the Modi government and has even volunteered to adopt the cause of Indian Muslims before the United Nations Human Rights Council. Here’s a glimpse of his twitter timeline:



I will adopt the cause of Muslims in India at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva for free#india



Brother jamal Abul Hassan, ex parliamentarian , Bahrain has just joined me in supporting the cause of Indian Muslims. Let all know that I am from Kuwait and everyone here who stands for Human rights is united in the fight against Hindutva fascism!#india




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

Another prominent voice, Saudi Scholar Abidi Zahrani, asked for a list of people who were working in the Middle-East and spreading hatred against Muslims and Islam:
‘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 show copies of their bio’.
Anger against mistreatment of Muslims in India was seen in statements released by prominent citizens, opinion makers and lawmakers across the Middle-East. Jamal Bahrain, Secretary General of the Arab Parliamentary Initiative and Member of the Global Parliamentary Network asked for the UN and OIC to intervene and stop human rights violations being committed against Muslims:
‘We call on international organizations, especially the United Nations, the Security Council, the Organization of islamic cooperation and all human rights organizations, to intervene immediately to stop the violations committed against our Muslim brothers in India #India’.
Earlier on April 16, 2020, Princess Hend al Qassimi of the Sharjah Royal Family had warned a Twitter user of serious consequences after he put out several tweets targeting Muslims for the spread of COVID-19 in India:



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.

  Modi’s call for brotherhood and unity between communities has come because the prime minister and his government fear an economic backlash from wealthy Arab countries.  


Arab Reaction
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.

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 ..

How do Muslims are treated in India?




Stop RSS terrorism#India





RSS do not represent Hindu .. Many Hindus are humanists and reject injustice

 


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.

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.
https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/868422690994089984/yDoPxxcr_normal.jpg


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.

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.

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




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




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

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
show a copies of their bio.
م/ عبيدي الزهراني (@ZahraniAbidi) April 12, 2020
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
I suggest to change the hashtag to#Send_hindutva_back_home
This will satisfy all Indiana both Muslims and Hindus
م/ عبيدي الزهراني (@ZahraniAbidi) April 12, 2020
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

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

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.
Recently, an Omani Princess Warned  Narendra Modi to expel one million Indian Workers from Oman if Narendra Modi and his government will continue Genocide and atrocities against Indian Muslims. Addressing to the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, ‘Her Highness (HH) Mona Bint Fahd Al Said’ said “Oman stands with its Muslim brothers and sisters in India. If the Indian Govt doesn’t stop the persecution of Muslims, then 1 million workers living in Oman may be expelled. I will definitely take up this issue with the Sultan of Oman.”. in another tweet, HH Mona Bint Fahd Al-Said said: “I have been told that Indian organisation RSS is behind the suffering of Muslims in India. It is supported by the current Govt.
I urge the UN. EU_Commission, OIC_OCI and other prominent bodies to blacklist RSS as a terrorist organization.
I have been told that Indian organisation RSS is behind the suffering of Muslims in India. It is supported by the current Govt.
I urge 
@UN @EU_Commission @OIC_OCI and other prominent bodies to blacklist RSS as terrorist organization.
— H.H. Mona bint Fahd al Said 🇴🇲 (@SayyidaMona) April 22, 2020
 Twitter voting: Apr., 25, 2020: The twitter account holder is Abdul Rahman Al Nassar, a Kuwaiti national. The message on twitter reads. I hope everyone votes. Do you support converting the file of persecution of Muslims of India to the International Criminal Court? (Voting duration is 12 hours) .12 hours voting ended with the final results of 66,133 votes. Arab royals, as well as a number of local intellectuals, took to Twitter to vent their anger against the hostile comments, which mainly targeted Indian Muslims. Earlier Princess Hend al-Qassimi, a member of the UAE royal family, reprimanded an Indian working in Dubai who had targeted Muslims and blamed Tablighi Jamaat, an Islamic missionary movement, for spreading the pandemic.She shared the UAE law that bans hate speech and said that anyone who was “openly racist and discriminatory in the UAE will be fined and made to leave.”Meanwhile, another Twitter account holder from Gulf countries has launched a campaign to report about the activities of RSS activists spreading hate and Islamophobia through their social media accounts in many parts of the world. درع السنّة@d_alsunnah
Anyone who knows any information about the secret Arabian Gulf RSS organization is necessary to contact us

1.     GCC reacts: May, 1, 2020: In the past couple of weeks, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Kuwait government, a royal princess of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as well as a number of Arab activists have called out Islamophobic hate speech by Indians seen to be accusing the country's Muslims of spreading the novel coronavirus. A barrage of tweets and statements from individuals and institutions in the Gulf expressing their outrage over the hateful social media posts forced the Indian government to respond, including a Twitter post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in which he stressed that "COVID-19 does not see race [or] religion". It started with right-wing Hindus accusing Muslims of a "conspiracy" to spread the coronavirus after dozens of cases were linked to a congregation of Tablighi Jamaat, a Muslim missionary movement, at their headquarters in New Delhi in the middle of March  Following the Jamaat issue, a wave of Islamophobic posts was unleashed on social media by right-wing Hindus, some of them employed in Gulf countries.  An old tweet by Tejasvi Surya, a young member of parliament belonging to Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), also resurfaced, provoking further outrage "The level of hubris of the Hindutva fascists shocked people throughout the world, changing previously held opinions," Dr Farhan Mujahid Chak, who teaches political science in the Gulf Studies programme at Qatar University, told Al Jazeera. Princess Hend al-Qassimi, a member of the UAE royal family, warned "openly racist and discriminatory" Indians in the Gulf that they "will be fined and made to leave" the country.In the past month, at least six Hindus working in the Gulf region have lost their jobs or have been charged for their social media posts. On Monday, in what was a clear sign of the issue escalating in the Arab world, Kuwait expressed its "deep concern" over the treatment of India's Muslims and asked the Organisation of International Cooperation (OIC) to intervene. Earlier, on April 18, the OIC had issued a statement, urging India to take urgent steps to "stop the growing tide of Islamophobia" in the country. Princess al-Qassimi, who has emerged as one of the most prolific Arab voices against Islamophobia in India, last week wrote a column for the Gulf News, in which she said: "The world doesn't need another Hitler, but it needs another hero like Martin Luther, Nelson Mandela, or Gandhi.""Killing your brethren doesn't make you a hero, it makes you a dictator and murderer. A snowballing movement has been started, which has reverberated across the Arab world," she wrote in her piece, titled I pray for an India without hate and Islamophobia. On Sunday, Mohan Bhagwat, the chief of the far-right Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), in an apparent reference to the Jamaat congregation in New Delhi, said in an online speech from the group's headquarters in Nagpur that it was "not right to blame the entire community for the mistakes of few individuals". The RSS is the ideological mentor of Modi's BJP. On Tuesday, in its worst rating since 2004, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom urged the State Department to designate India as a "country of particular concern" over "severe violations" of religious freedom. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/04/arabs-speaking-islamophobia-india-200423112102197.html
Conclusion
The timing of Modi’s ‘message’ was perhaps not a coincidence, as it has come in handy for Indian ambassadors in the Gulf dealing with massive local pushback over the various Islamophobic incidents that have occurred across India in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. Modi’s call for brotherhood and unity between communities has come because the prime minister and his government fear an economic backlash from wealthy Arab countries. 
A backlash from Muslim nations can cause havoc of foreign remittance, buttressed by Muslims of Indians working in these nations.  There are also calls for bring up human rights violations to light at UN and other International forums by  Arab and GCC analysis