Leave differences behind, come together for India: Indian ambassador

Abu Dhabi - He was speaking at a recent event at the India Social and Cultural Centre in Abu Dhabi.

Indian expatriates should leave behind their political differences during the fiercely contested elections and come together for the country, Ambassador Navdeep Singh Suri has said.
He was speaking at a recent event at the India Social and Cultural Centre in Abu Dhabi, organised by Indian businessman B.R. Shetty to 'celebrate democracy' after Prime Minister Narendra Modi won the elections with a thumping majority for the second term.
"This was a long campaign - occasionally bitter, occasionally divisive. But today, that is behind us," said Suri, addressing a packed and electric crowd that erupted into a 'Modi Modi' chant.
"It is, then, the nature of a competitive democracy that all the arguments that can be marshalled in favour of your case are made. And then when the election is over, when dust has settled down, we come together. Because then there is one prime minister, one government, one nation for all of us, and we all belong there," he said.
"No matter what our political persuasion be, we must first and foremost be Indians and only secondly anything else," the envoy said.
Speaking at the function, Shetty said: "India has won". He made a pledge to support Modi's vision to offer free healthcare to more than 500 million Indians.
"I have always believed in helping people. I take a pledge to ensure people in rural areas, as well as in urban cities, will get quality healthcare through my hospitals."
anjana@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE
• Abu Dhabi