Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party on Monday faced widespread condemnation for alleged ‘soft bigotry’ and ‘Islamophobia’ after it tweeted a list of Muslim countries, who had received vaccines from India.
While attacking the Centre’s Narendra Modi government, the AAP tweeted a list of 18 countries, all with a predominantly Muslim population. Its tweet read, “Who did Narendra Modi get votes from? India. Who did Narendra Modi give vaccines to? Pakistan, Palestine, Iran, the UAE, Syria, Egypt, Oman, Kuwait, Yemen, Nigeria
Bahrain, Somalia, Morocco, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia.”
नरेन्द्र मोदी ने VOTE किससे लिया:
????????India
नरेन्द्र मोदी ने VACCINE किसे दी:
???????? Pakistan
???????? Palestine
???????? Iran
???????? UAE
???????? Syria
???????? Egypt
???????? Oman
???????? Kuwait
???????? Yemen
???????? Nigeria
???????? Bahrain
???????? Somalia
???????? Morocco
???????? Tajikistan
???????? Uzbekistan
???????? Bangladesh
???????? Afghanistan
???????? Saudi Arabia— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) May 17, 2021
Mincing no words, stand-up comic and writer, Varun Grover, termed the AAP’s action ‘soft bigotry. He wrote, “As citizens of the world we should be proud of this gesture of caring for all of humanity. The right question to be asked is why didn’t they care equally for Indians too. (And your selective list is soft bigotry. Am sure you guys know that, unfortunately.)”
Journalist Harini Calamur wrote, “I am aghast at this kind of #Islamophobia @AamAadmiParty. Please find the list of countries (95 countries – https://mea.gov.in/vaccine-supply.htm) that India has supplied vaccines. And, please talk about why you are only targetting Islamic Nations?”
This is how Twitterati reacted;
As citizens of the world we should be proud of this gesture of caring for all of humanity.
The right question to be asked is why didn’t they care equally for Indians too.
(And your selective list is soft bigotry. Am sure you guys know that, unfortunately.)
— वरुण ???????? (@varungrover) May 17, 2021
I am aghast at this kind of #Islamophobia @AamAadmiParty
Please find the list of countries (95 countries – https://t.co/kRzCs1doAf) that India has supplied vaccines. And, please talk about why you are only targetting Islamic Nations? pic.twitter.com/tEVlZvZICx— Harini Calamur (#StayHome) (@calamur) May 17, 2021
What bigots! They singled out Muslim countries https://t.co/Lqd1vOzJWD
— Brumby (@brumbyoz) May 17, 2021
India has sent vaccines to 95 countries ,
But the AAP deliberately mentioned only Muslim majority countries in first list….! @ArvindKejriwal shame on u छोटे मोदी#Islamophobia #Islamophobia_in_india pic.twitter.com/z9XNmTEVuz— Shahbaz Azam (@ShahbazAzamsays) May 17, 2021
When it Looks like #Islamophobia
Smells like #Islamophobia
Tastes like #IslamophobiaIt is #bigotry, #Racism & #islamophobia
Looks like @Arvindkejriwal is CRYING OUT TO RSS..
“Adopt me, Adopt me, Adopt me”#whatAFall #Shameful https://t.co/SUflf8KyJB— Shuvankar Mukherjee (@shuvankr) May 17, 2021
According to the Indian ministry of external affairs, India had exported vaccines to at least 95 countries. But the AAP’s list included only Muslim-majority nations. Faced with widespread condemnation, the Kejriwal-led party posted more tweets highlighting the names of other countries two hours later.