As congress scion Rahul Gandhi & Priyanka Gandhi rain a series of protests in Hathras, a video posted online shows Priyanka Gandhi’s husband, Robert Vadra, holidaying in Turkey.
After few netizens spotted Sulemanye mosque located in Istanbul, Turkey, in the background of the video posted by Robert Vadra, social media is abuzz with posts which disapprove of him holidaying in Turkey. The reason cited by many is–Turkey since sometime has not been maintaining cordial relations with India and ergo, many have been calling to cut-off ties with Turkey. Ankara has been supporting Pakistan in general against India and in particular over the Kashmir issue. India abrogated Article 370 of its constitution, which gave Jammu and Kashmir special status not enjoyed by other Indian states, in August 2019. Since the abrogation of this article, Turkey has been raising the Kashmir issue at different forums. Indians on social media have been consistently opposing Turkey’s stand supporting Pakistan.
Intel reports hint that Turkey is now the hub of ISI activities, and Pakistani agents often target students from Kashmir who head to Turkey on scholarships for studies. Ostensibly, ISI has opened a cyber cell inside Turkey which is used for brainwashing students against Indian government. Estimates suggest that about 100 students leave for Turkey every year on scholarship schemes.
This has evoked strong reactions from the Indian government. In October 2019,India’s Prime minister Modi cancelled his visit to Turkey. In the view of growing defense ties between Turkey and Pakistan, India also cut its defense exports to Turkey and reduced imports from Turkey.
Meanwhile, Indian national Congress party, an opposition party, has only grown closer to Turkey. Congress’ Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) had issued a press statement about opening an office in Istanbul which was to be headed by Muhammad Yusuf Khan. This had happened a few days after Turkey extended its support to Pakistan at the UN on Kashmir issue. This had earned the grand old party ire of many Indians from across the globe. Presently Congress party leaders Rahul Gandhi & his sister are mounting pressure on Yogi government, in Uttar Pradesh vis-a-vis Hathras case. There have been reports that protests in the region were being pushed by Amnesty organization, which had voluntarily shut it’s operations in India after Indian government froze the accounts under the organization for misappropriate use of funds. Under such circumstances, Hathras protests have become very controversial. Congress party has also been staging protests against agricultural bill that was introduced in the Indian parliament few days ago.
Turkey has consistently been found harbouring anti-India entities. Another incident that made it to the headlines was—Shah Faesal trying to escape to Turkey. Mr faesal is an IAS turned politician who was then detained at the delhi airport on august 12 2019, a few days after article 370 was abrogation by Modi government. The incident had happened after his controversial stand against the decision taken by Indian government on article 370.
Recently Indian Actor, Amir Khan, who had visited Turkey also came under heavy criticism by Indians for visiting a country that has unfriendly relations with India.
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