By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net
Hundreds of thousands of Indians live and work in Emirates, more than half of them are Muslim. How is their future being shaped by past and present of India relations with this region? Part three of the three part series.
Part 1: Past Continuous
Part 2: Present Perfect
Proximity to India and uncertain nature of their future in Emirates ensures that Indians in this region keep their ties to their motherland strong. Indians have been living here for decades, in some cases for three generations, but still there is no mechanism for them to get citizenship here. Their continued presence here is dependent on the whims and fancies of the rulers here. They can be deported at slightest infractions and without any due process of law. The fear of deportation without notice or appeal hangs on the head of all immigrant workers but now there is an additional fear.
My visit to Dubai coincided with the news of the arrest of Fasih Mahmood in Saudi Arabia. Fasih is an engineer from Bihar who was arrested by a team of Saudi and Indian authorities. Indian Embassy and the government denied any knowledge of the arrest. It was only several days after the news broke that India got a red corner notice issued through the Interpol saying that they were looking for Fasih for Bangalore stadium blast but at the same time denying their involvement in his arrest.
The news of Fasih’s arrest was met with unusual quietness in Dubai. I could notice the change in the mood of people there, fear visible in their faces. The manner of his arrest was not unlike the other terror arrests in India- illegal detention, no official confirmation, lack of information. A community already concerned with what is going on in India, this news has hit too close to home.
Gulf countries have contributed immensely to the economic upliftment of Indian Muslims. Construction and economic boom here opened up a window of opportunities for many. This land till now had provided a safe and stable place from the anti-Muslim violence and political uncertainties of India of 1980s and 1990s. Now all of a sudden it appears that this place is not safe anymore.
Panicked, a father in Dubai emails me itinerary of her daughter who was flying back to India to attend her classes at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). I wasn’t sure what help I could provide but I was the only hope for a helpless father, in case something happens to her daughter. In the absence of any institutions to provide legal help to people, the fear that Muslims feel in India have now also come here.