Abu Dhabi/Dubai: Indian expatriates in the UAE on Sunday paid tributes to paramilitary personnel who laid down their lives in a terrorist attack at Pulwama in the North Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday.
In condolence meetings conducted separately at the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Indian Consulate General in Dubai on Sunday evening, they expressed their solidarity to the nation and families of the fallen heroes.
At a candlelight homage held at the embassy in Abu Dhabi, Navdeep Singh Suri, the Indian Ambassador to the UAE, said: “Our entire nation stands united behind our government and security forces, a fact that was reflected in the statements of all political parties.”
It is important that we are careful about motivated rumours that are being circulated on WhatsApp and other social media platforms with the objective of setting off one Indian against another.
He said the international community has expressed strong support for India and the UAE was among the first to express solidarity with India on Thursday itself.
“At the same time, it is important that we are careful about motivated rumours that are being circulated on WhatsApp and other social media platforms with the objective of setting off one Indian against another. The CRPF [Central Reserve Police Force whose personnel were killed in the attack] itself has had to issue a warning today against falling for such rumours since they only serve the malign agenda of terrorist groups like Jaish e Mohammed and of their masters,” Suri said.
Vipul, the Indian Consul General in Dubai, addressed the condolence meeting conducted at the Consulate, which was attended by a large number of Indians living in Dubai and northern emirates.
In Dubai, hundreds of Indians gathered to pay tributes to the soldiers who lost their lives and to pray for their families at the Indian Consulate in Dubai.
Silent prayer
They observed a silent prayer and candle light vigil and joined the diplomats in paying floral tributes to the martyred soldiers whose photos were displayed at the consulate’s auditorium.
A lot of people have contacted the consulate conveying their condolences... We hope that the international community will come together to eliminate this menace [terrorism].
Consul General of India in Dubai said there is a big outpouring of grief after the terrorist attack among the Indian community members in Dubai and other emirates.
“A lot of people have contacted the consulate conveying their condolences and sympathy to the families of the soldiers and condemning the terrorist attack,” he said.
“We hope that the international community will come together to eliminate this menace [terrorism] from the earth.”
The community leaders, while speaking to Gulf News, expressed their anguish and sadness about the incident.
Jai Ram Rai, vice president of the Indian Social and Cultural Centre in Abu Dhabi, said: “Words cannot express the sorrow and pain we feel for the loss of our brave soldiers and paramilitary personnel. They are our strength and they are the true heroes of our mother land. We salute your bravery and your sacrifice will be remembered forever,” he said.
V. T. V Damodaran, president of the Gandhi Sahitya Vedi, an organisation promoting Gandhian ideals in the capital, said while condemning the attack and praying for the departed souls and injured personnel, “I dream that world nations in one voice condemn the attack and those behind this cruel act should be “singled out”. This should be a lesson to those terrorists, he said.
“No peace loving person can comprehend this type of cruel actions towards any nation and its people. I believe borders between countries should be the “path to love, peace and friendship,” Damodaran said.
