JEDDAH/DUBAI, 13 July 2006 — Indian expatriates in the Gulf expressed shock and anger at the serial blasts in Bombay but praised the indomitable spirit of the Bombayites in facing up to the crisis with valor and dignity.
“Yes it is unfortunate and sad,” said Gopal Sutar, media editor at Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) in Riyadh.
“It was a very well-organized attack on the country’s financial hub. The reason was simple: To weaken the country economically. India is a rising economic power and any attack on its financial hub creates panic.”
Sutar felt the perpetrators of the heinous crime would have wanted communal riots to erupt in the aftermath of the blasts.
“By restraining themselves and not giving in to provocation, the people of Bombay have succeeded in defeating the terrorists in round one,” he said.
Saleem Chisti, who works at the Jeddah-based Sharbatly Company, said: “This was an attack on the Muslims of India. Whoever did this knew that this would have huge repercussions on the Muslim community. The finger of suspicion always falls on the Muslim community.
“The Hindu fundamentalists in India who are currently lying low will use innuendos to drive home the point that it is Muslims who are behind these blasts. I condemn these anti-national activities.”
Abdul Latif Khan, shipping manager at the Jeddah-based Gulf Agency Co. praised Bombayites for remaining calm and united in the face of provocation.
“Nothing deters Bombay,” he said. “The society is not divided as it was in the 1990s. Then the situation used to be very volatile. Any such blasts would result in retaliation against a particular community.”
Khan said it was good to see on television how people were helping each other in such difficult times.
Many Indian expatriates have relatives and friends in Bombay. Moreover, being the summer vacation, many have sent their families to India. “I was very worried until I spoke to my wife and children who left for Bombay last Friday,” said Dubai-based Faisal Kalmati, whose wife and children are spending their summer break in Bombay.
“It’s terrible. It is very unfortunate. Many innocent people have been killed because of this barbaric and shameful act” said Abu Dhabi based Indian business tycoon B.R. Shetty, CEO and vice chairman of New Medical Center group.
Shetty, who left for Bombay yesterday afternoon, told Arab News that the situation in the city was calm and normal.
Shailesh Thandil, the first press secretary in the Indian Consulate said, “Fortunately, there have been no reports of any expatriates being injured in the blasts. We have not received any calls from people asking for any kind of aid”
“It is shocking and violence in any form is not acceptable. We strongly condemn the bomb blasts,” said K. Kumar, convener of Indian Community Welfare Committee in Dubai.
Thomas Joseph from Nasik, who works for a private catering company in Ajman, said he has many friends and relatives in the affected areas and they are all safe.
“My family traveled to Bombay last month. All my family members are safe. There are about 8,000 Maharashtrian families and several thousand employees who work for different companies,” he said.
Meanwhile, several passengers who had booked their tickets for this week have canceled their trips following the series of blasts.
“A large number of passengers have canceled their trips to Bombay. We alone have canceled more than 40 tickets since Tuesday evening,” said a Sharjah-based travel agent requesting anonymity.
But a source at the Air-India office in Dubai said that their flight was full and there was no cancellation.
“There is complete normalcy. We have not received any request for cancellations,” said Jaishree Ramachandran, Air-India office manager.
