Syed Ali Ahmed | India Tomorrow

NEW DELHI, APRIL 20—Scapegoating of Muslims for spread of coronavirus officially by the government agencies and a big section of Indian media-TV and print- demonising Muslims day and night and holding them responsible for the coronavirus infection has resulted in sharp reaction in the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia and from Indian diaspora organisations like Indian American Muslim Council(IAMC) and Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR) based in the United States of America.

Two Indian expats working in UAE have been sacked in the last one week over posting alleged Islamophobic messages on social media. They have been identified as Bala Krishna Nakka and Rakesh B. Kitturmath.

According to the Gulf News, Nakka was working as chief accountant at Dubai’s Moro Hub Data Solutions Company while Kitturmath was working as a senior executive at Emrill Services in Dubai.

Prior to it, one Mitesh Udeshi residing in Abu Dhabi was sacked for posting a cartoon offensive to Islam on his Facebook page and a police complaint was filed against Sameer Bhandari of Future Vision Events & Weddings in Dubai after he asked an Indian  Muslim to go to Pakistan. The Indian Muslim had applied for job in the company where Bhandari worked.

One of the UAE Princess has taken a tweet very seriously that attacked the Tablighi Jamaat, calling it “jihadi and terrorist”.   

Princess Sheikha Hend Al Qasimi, a member of the Royal family of United Arab Emirates took a tweet against Tablighi Jamaat as Islamophobia, asking the man, “Can be made to leave UAE”.

Anyone that is openly racist and discriminatory in the UAE will be fined and made to leave. An example; pic.twitter.com/nJW7XS5xGx

— Princess Hend Al Qassimi (@LadyVelvet_HFQ) April 15, 2020

The man, identified as Saurabh Upadhyay, tweeted, “Muslims must stop finding ways to defend Tablighis, the damage has already been done the least you can do is accept and condemn it and not behave like religious fanatics, no Hindu supports a criminal like Asaram, similarly you should also stop licking terrorists Maulana Saad bottom.”   

Saurabh’s another tweet is, “what’s with peaceful people and spitting? New form of jihad custom made for 2020? I thought they were still stuck 1400 years in past & din’t.”

The tweet of Sheikha Hend Al Qasimi against Saurabh was reported widely by Khalij Times, Arabian Business and News 18 BUZZ.

According to Khalij Times, Hend Al Qasmi shared screenshots of tweets from a now deactivated account and warned : “Anyone that is openly racist and discriminatory in the UAE will be fined and made to leave.”

“The screenshots of tweets shared by Sheikha Hend show someone by the name of Saurabh Upadhyay targeting Muslims over a congregation of Tablighi Jamaat in New Delhi that reportedly led to an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in India. He also called members of the sect "Islamic terrorists", Khalij Times reported.

"The Ridicule Will Not Go Unnoticed: UAE Princess

“The ridicule won’t go unnoticed”, tweeted the Royal family member from her verified handle, @LadyVelvet HFO.

She also tweeted , “Anyone that is openly racist and discriminatory in the UAE will be fined and made to leave”.

Sheikha also responded to another tweet that cannot be seen as the account has been deactivated. She said, “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."

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

In the screenshots shared by Sheikha Hend, Saurabh seems to claim that the Tablighis spat on people. "What's with peaceful people and spitting? New form of jihad custom made for 2020? (sic)"

Why were you abusing Muslims, mocking their religion, calling for a boycott of their businesses & inciting violence against them sitting in the UAE. Is @dubaichamber aware? pic.twitter.com/Som4tM9pB3

— Yeh Log ! (@yehlog) April 13, 2020

Indonesian MP, Sukuma who is head of Foreign Relations Development of Justice and Prosperous Party (JPP), in an article in Berita Fraksi newspaper on Sunday (April 19) said that “accusing Indian Muslims as main spreader of COVID 19 is false. There are some people who are trying to frame this pandemic a religious problem. The corona virus is a pandemic attacking every one without discriminating any caste creed, region, religion and ethnicity”.

Expressing his support to the Muslims in India, Sukuma said, “Indeed, the Tablighi Jamaat’s grand event was held before India officially announced lockdown policy. But I appeal to all religious people throughout the world that we must be disciplined in staying home, decrease our mobility, and cease any religious activity to help the government fight COVI-19. This is in our mutual interest”.