India proud of expatriates, says Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivers a speech to members of the Indian expatriate community at the Dubai Cricket Stadium on Monday.

IANS/Dubai

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India was proud of expatriate Indians settled and working in the UAE. "You are the people who have worked hard... some for 10 years, some for 20 years and some for 30 years. You are not only earning your living, but also making India proud," Modi said addressing 50,000 expatriate Indians in Dubai. He said that due to the good behaviour and hard work of the expatriate Indians, India was proud. Modi said the Indians settled in the Gulf were always worried about their home country. "Even if it rains a little more in India, then the Indian living in Dubai, opens his umbrella. In times of natural disaster, the Indian in Dubai can't sleep properly." "When the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government conducted nuclear tests, some people were angry and there were sanctions put on India. "Then Vajpayee appealed to Indians across the world to help India. And today I feel proud to say that after his appeal, the blue collar workers in the Gulf had made the biggest contribution."

Modi got the cheering crowd of Indians to give a standing ovation to Abu Dhabi Crown Prince HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan for his gesture in giving land for a temple for Indians."I give my heartfelt thanks to the crown prince and the UAE and Dubai rulers for the gesture," Modi said to the cheering crowd."On the one hand there is terrorism in the name of religion, and innocents are killed; and at such a time of concern, the crown prince has given land in Abu Dhabi for a temple for the Indians," he said."The people who know Abu Dhabi, they realise that the decision is of such importance. All Indians should thank him. I appeal to you all people to thank him with a round of applause for the gesture, and give a standing ovation to the Crown Prince," he said.