India must stand with Qatar, distance itself from Israel: Owaisi

Hyderabad, Sep 10 (IANS) AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday urged the Indian government to stand with Qatar and distance itself from Israel.

In a post on ‘X’, Owaisi said that this is an opportunity for India to demonstrate an unequivocal and principled stand.

Owaisi, who tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stated that it was the Israeli government which attacked, bombed and violated Qatar’s sovereignty.

The MP said that Israel's genocidal government, headed by Benjamin Netanyahu, is a danger to global peace and stability.

Owaisi reminded Prime Minister Modi that 7 lakh Indians work in Qatar. He also mentioned that in 2024-25 India exported goods worth $1.68 billion while India’s imports totalled $ 12.47 billion.

He also stated that India is likely to finalise Terms of Reference (ToR) for the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Qatar.

Owaisi, who also posted his comments in Arabic and also tagged Amir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, said India must stand with Qatar and distance itself from the global pariah state of Israel.

“This is an opportunity for India to demonstrate an unequivocal & principled stand. JAI Hind,” Owaisi added.

In an earlier tweet, the president of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) had termed as despicable the signing of a bilateral investment treaty with Israel.

“It is despicable that the Modi govt has signed a Bilateral Investment Treaty with Israel at a time when Israel is overseeing genocide, ethnic cleansing & famine of Gaza,” AIMIM said.

Owaisi, who posted a clipping of the news with the photograph of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Israeli counterpart Bezalel Smotrich signing the agreement.

The MP wrote that the person seated next to Sitharaman believes that it is “just and moral” to starve Gazans. “Arrest warrant applications against him are pending with the ICC. Supporting a genocidal government cannot be in the national interest,” said Owaisi.

--IANS

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