NEW DELHI: Sheikha Hend Faisal Al-Qassemi, member of the royal family of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has reacted more to the Islamophobic posts on social media.
Al-Qassemi, speaking exclusively to News 18 says that the anti-Muslim, anti-Islam propaganda carried out by some people through social media is simultaneously causing anguish and anger.
She said that the relationship between Emirati-India is centuries-old “but this is new, we have never experienced hatred from the Indians.”
“I have never heard an Indian attack an Arab or a Muslim before but now I have reported just one person but you can see my timeline is full of people insulting the Arabs, Muslims. This is so un-Indian.”
The author and fashion editor understands that the views of a few individuals are not the opinion of most Indians living in the UAE, yet she did quietly put a strong message across when she said:
“Is India attempting to compel us to single out, who to permit in the Emirates – just the Muslim and the Christian? This isn’t the means by which we were raised. To us, they are altogether Indians we don’t place them in any class – like we will work with them simply because they are Indian Muslim.”
According to the embassy website, around three and a half million Indians work in Gulf region with negligible percent of Muslims.
And the lion share of gulf remittances come to India every year goes to Hindus homes.
“How would the Indians feel if I say publicly say that Indian Hindus should not be allowed in Emirates? Close to 14 billion dollars are being remitted back from the Emirates to India every year – in the past year. Imagine if that were to be cut off? The Indians work very hard in this country and I don’t think they deserve people who misrepresent them like that,” Princess Hend added.
Al Qassemi made it clear that he was not a political but maintains good relations with India’s former UAE ambassador Navdeep Suri.
“Hate is illegal in her country and she will continue to “raise the voice to stop” it “because she “a good friend of India.”