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New Delhi: Princess Hend Al Qassimi, a member of the royal family of United Arab Emirates, called out a series of “Islamophobic posts” on Twitter Thursday by a user named Saurabh Upadhyay.

Earlier this week, Upadhyay had put out several tweets targeting Muslims over the March congregation of Tablighi Jamaat in New Delhi that led to a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases in India.

A Twitter spat had soon ensued between Upadhyay and another user, during which the former allegedly used foul language. Claiming that the Tablighis spat on people, Upadhyay asked, “What’s with peaceful people and spitting? New form of jihad custom made for 2020?”

He also allegedly used abusive language against the Tablighis, calling them “radical Islamist terrorists”. Upadhyay later went on a say how Hindus were being targetled in the Middle East and that the region is what it is today “because Indians have built cities like Dubai from scratch”.

While Upadhyay seems to have deactivated or deleted his Twitter account, his posts led to a sharp response by Princess Qassimi who shared screenshots of the tweets and said anyone “openly racist and discriminatory in the UAE will be fined and made to leave”.

Anyone that is openly racist and discriminatory in the UAE will be fined and made to leave. An example; pic.twitter.com/nJW7XS5xGx — Hend F Q (@LadyVelvet_HFQ) April 15, 2020

She also responded to some of Upadhyay’s earlier tweets, which along with all his other posts cannot be seen now as the account no longer exists. Qassimi said though the ruling family of UAE is “friends with Indians”, his rudeness was “not welcome”.

“All employees are paid to work, no one comes for free. You make your bread and butter from this land which you scorn and your ridicule will not go unnoticed,” she wrote.

The ruling family is friends with Indians, but as a royal your rudeness is not welcome. All employees are paid to work, no one comes for free. You make your bread and butter from this land which you scorn and your ridicule will not go unnoticed. — Princess Hend Al Qassimi (@LadyVelvet_HFQ) April 15, 2020

Also read: UAE poet Tariq Al-Mehyas draws fire for ‘racist’ comment against Indians, Bengalis

Previous ‘hate’ posts

Princess Qassimi’s response has been applauded by several users on Twitter. Some have even highlighted previous instances of ‘Islamophobia’ displayed made by Upadhyay on the micro-blogging site.

In one post allegedly by Upadhyay, he had said all Islamic organisations “should be kept on vigilant watch or barred” as they only spread violence and unrest.

Also please see https://t.co/KMG6Gig8QB — Yeh Log ! (@yehlog) April 15, 2020

Also read: Pakistan’s Hazaras to India’s Muslims – people are finding Covid-19 scapegoats

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