The Indian community in the UAE gathered in large numbers at the embassy in Abu Dhabi and the consulate in Dubai to express sympathy and solidarity with the families of CRPF men killed in the terrorist strike in Pulwama on February 14.
They paid candlelight homage to the jawans martyred in Pulwama and vowed to remain united in the face of terror.
Speaking at the condolence meeting in Abu Dhabi, Ambassador Navdeep Suri said, “Our Prime Minister [Narendra Modi] spoke for all of us when he said that the nation’s blood is boiling; the terror outfits and their masters have made a big mistake and will pay a heavy price.”
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He said the international community has expressed strong support for India, and the UAE was among the first countries to express solidarity with India on February 14 itself. “The US has specifically named Jaish-e-Mohammed and asked Pakistan to end its support to terrorist safe havens inside the country,” he said.
Forty Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday when a Jaish-e-Mohammed suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district.
Ambassador Suri said the entire nation stands united “behind our government and security forces”, a fact that was reflected in the statements of opposition parties and in the all-party statements after the attack.
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“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 one Indian against another,” Ambassador Suri said.
He pointed out that the CRPF itself has had to issue a warning on Sunday against falling for such rumours.
India’s Consul General in Dubai, Vipul, led a condolence meeting in the Consulate on Sunday in which hundreds of Indians came together to pay homage to the brave soldiers who lost their lives in the heinous terrorist attack.
“There is a lot of anger and anguish in all sections of the Indian community against this terrorist attack. The community expressed solidarity with our security forces and their families and resolved to stand resolutely against terrorism and those who perpetrate it,” he said.