May 1: India on Thursday called as "propaganda" certain social media posts from the Arab world alleging harassment of Muslims in several parts of the country in the name of containing the spread of coronavirus.
Strongly rebutting the charges, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said the Gulf countries are deeply committed to friendly relations with India and they are even seeking bilateral talks on the post-COVID-19 economic recovery.
Talking about India's close and traditional ties with the Arab countries, he said New Delhi is ensuring uninterrupted supply of food and essential commodities to the region during Ramzan as part of its deep-rooted friendship.
Srivastava said the countries in the region do not support any interference in India's internal affairs.
"Much of what you see is propaganda by interested parties. Stray tweets can not be used to characterise our bilateral ties with these countries. The real picture of these relations is very much different," he said during an online media briefing.
There has been a wave of angry reactions on Twitter by leading citizens and rights activists from various Arab countries following allegations that Muslims are being blamed for spreading COVID-19 in several parts of India.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, a powerful bloc of 57 countries, recently accused India of "Islamophobia". India rejected the charges as regrettable.
"We have been making special efforts to ensure uninterrupted supply of food and essential commodities which are required during the Ramzan period in these countries, and this is something which has been greatly appreciated. These countries also want a priority discussion with India on the post-COVID-19 economic recovery," Srivastava said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar have been in regular touch with their counterparts from the region in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
"In these discussions, there have been requests for sending medicines and medical teams to these countries. We already deployed a Rapid Response Team in Kuwait. There is also a request to send doctors and nurses from India," said Srivastava.
"What comes out clearly is that these countries are deeply committed to friendly relations with India. They also do not support any interference in internal matters of India. It is, therefore, important that the friendly and cooperative nature of our relations is accurately recognised and the misuse of social media is not given credence," he added.
Asked about reports of an order issued by Oman's Finance Ministry asking all state-owned companies to replace foreign workers with qualified local Omanis, Srivastava said it is not aimed at Indians working in the Gulf nation.
"The policy is a decades-old one and not specific to India. It does not target the Indians in any way," he said.
There have been apprehensions that the order will render thousands of Indians working in state-run firms in Oman jobless.
"They greatly value relationship with India. Government of Oman is taking special care of Indians which included free testing for coronavirus, its treatment, providing food," the MEA spokesperson said.
Oman government is also extending certain categories of visas of Indians.
Srivastava said India has been in touch with its friends and partners across the world as part of the collaborative approach to dealing with the pandemic.
Comments
Indian National Father Mahathma Gandhji Killer RSS group , why and how you people celebarate National days ...Oh Bhattaaaaa...
by wearing neerdose
To celebrate national festivals, by wearing chaddi or pant?
RSS never hoisted national flag in their centers after independence.
celebrates Pakistan independence 1 day before ours and is teaching others now.
Hypocrisy
Va Marl mare ....Bhatta is so scared of PFI . now when his fathers like Times Now and other paid media started to bark abd trying to bite the mighty PFI ....goons like BHATTA is started to come out from caves ....
bisi tagidre matra benne karaguvudu
Who let the dog out.. bow bow bow
Unfortunately good secular are being killed by the criminals like these. Such criminals are lucky for not being harrassed or touched by anybody. This is temporary situation.
The God is watching and relaxing him to do more sins. Slowly he will be caught and nobody can save him.. We have seen many criminals in the past with all attrocities beyond the bounds. Finally their day had come.
Nobody can dare to force any religions, what to follow and what not to follow. It is not the business of anybody. It is command what they are following from their God. If he wants he can do at his home even he can not force his people at the temple.
He is utter stupid, Politics is not controlled by any group or religion. It is the choice of democracy. The majority in the state is Hindus. But all are not stupids like him.
Though they are majority, they selected good government. Because of Northern states, BJP came to power, now all Hindus are fed-up of Modi's group.
their end is also very imminent. Modi's time has come to get Political Sanyasam.
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