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
No need to point thier members, they all are the wings fo desh drohi RSS. In Karnataka all will epxerinece their
communal and hate speeches only for vote bank. They might think by the name of cunning religion and caste polcy they will succeed to devide our Great country. In INDIA normal citizens will never accept RSS groups policy to accept their upper caste and lower caste Hindu policy and targeting other religion.
Rest of the Nations are living peacefully with all religion why can't we .
India is the only country in the World fight against dirty british invader with Non Voilance. For that we all to salute the great man Mahthma Gandhi. RSS criminals never supported or they parcitipated during nation freedom strugle with dirty britishers. Now they are looking to devide our Nation but never, hence we all have to stand together ; be unite to save our NATION form these evils. Then no time very shorlty their organization and their criminal institutions will be vanished from all corners of NDIA.
Jai Hind! Jai Karnataka !
These disgraceful caste based un secular Muslim appeasing Sid Ra Miya of Conning-ress, is equating Bajrang Dal & RSS with some of the parties (A--i Na---al) which it sponsors, RSS has proved for many years that it is a party doing many social services, this cheap fellows will be in power for barely another 4 months
CM has problem in a mental stablity ot he is drunk should we call for ban for Congress Muslim party who looks for their votes
Sid RA Miya, Conning-ress, & Parakasha Rai/Raj are already Hob Nobbing with PFI, SDPI, & many similar organizations directly & clandestinely
@Mangalurean. Very few sane, Hindus, have such guts. Others all are chameleons..and turn color whenever get a better chance.
I wish, he was not in Congress, which helped RSS grow into such a giant organization and now a school of teaching hatred to innocent common Hindus.
Salute. Many common Hindus feel the same way, unless they are in politics.
So the President, Vise-President and the Prime minister are terrorists? India is a terrorist country now then. This idiot will be shown his place in the next election.
BIG sallute to Siddaramaih!!
HE the CM of Karnataka has guts to speak the truth of hidden Agendas of against our nation as well Karnataka...!
in fact who killed the BOMBAY POLICE CHEIF of Mumbai, its RSS becouse very soon he wanted to open mouth of big shots who are enjoing the government protocol and security today..
Almost all leaders and prominents in India are THUGS but some also TERRORISTS.
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