In yet another hate speech controversy, a man named Durgadas Sisupalan has been removed from his position as the coordinator of the Malayalam Mission in Qatar, after his anti-Muslim remarks at the Ananthapuri Hindu Maha Sammelan in Thiruvananthapuram sparked outrage. In a video that was circulated on social media from May 5, Thursday, Durgadas was seen asking a question at an event at the Hindu conclave, claiming that there was a practice of recruiting female nurses from Kerala in Gulf countries by Muslim groups, and “using them for terrorism and sex slavery.”
While his remarks were slammed for propagating hate against Muslims, nurses’ groups have also reportedly objected to Durgadas’s statements. A nurses’ association called UNIQ (United Nurses of India Qatar) has complained to authorities in Qatar seeking action against Durgadas, according to The Week.
Malayalam Mission is a Kerala government initiative that promotes Malayalam and has language learning centres in many locations globally. In a statement, Malayalam Mission director Murukan Kattakada said that from May 5 onwards, Durgadas was stripped of all responsibilities as the regional coordinator of the Malayalam Mission’s Qatar chapter. “Many from across the world, including Malayalam Mission members, teachers and parents, have informed us of their protest against the statements by Durgadas. Malayalam Mission's aim is to transfer the integrity and the rich culture of Kerala to the younger generation. But in the circulating video, there are statements creating communal polarisation … The statement also hurt the dignity of women who migrate in search of jobs,” the statement said.
His name is Durgadas who is working in Qatar
— S u m j a d (@fannaforu) May 3, 2022
his question is “gulf countires recruiting nurses from india to change them to islam and be sex slaves and what they can do for it
cc: @LadyVelvet_HFQ pic.twitter.com/qlu3pHQ4Dw
Some reports suggested that Durgadas had also been fired from his job as a senior accountant by his employer Narang Projects. In a Facebook Live video on May 6, Durgadas reportedly said that he had been a “proud Sangh Swayamsevak for about 30 years”. He apologised to nurses who were upset by his remarks, but said he would continue to give reports to the Union government of any “recruiting agencies of terrorists.”
Politician PC George had also made anti-Muslim remarks at a programme organised as part of the Ananthapuri Hindu Maha Sammelan, for which he was booked under sections 153A (promoting enemity between different groups on grounds of religion) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). PC George had asked non-Muslims in Kerala to avoid restaurants run by the Muslim community, alleging that “tea laced with drops causing impotence” were sold in Muslim-run restaurants to turn people infertile in a bid to seize control of the country — a claim that has already been established as fake news in the past.