Indian expatriates in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), alongside people from various nationalities, including Britons, Emiratis, and Pakistanis, were surprised to receive a WhatsApp message originating from India’s ‘Viksit Bharat Sampark’ over the weekend. The message solicited feedback and suggestions from the public and had an attached letter by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The letter was issued on the eve of the announcement of the general elections, wherein PM Modi highlighted the importance of receiving ideas, suggestions, and support in fulfilling the resolve to build a prosperous India.
Some recipients found the message pleasantly surprising, while others, specifically non-Indians, were confused, wondering about their involvement.
Dubai-based journalist Asma Zain expressed shock regarding the message’s relevance to her. “I received the message at midnight. It left me wondering: what sort of suggestions could Mr. Modi possibly need from me? And more importantly, should I even be providing them?”
Another non-Indian said, “It was very strange to receive the message on my Etisalat number.”
Similarly, a British resident of Dubai, who had recently traveled to India for work, also received the message. He said that initially, he assumed that it was related to his professional engagements.
“I am very curious about how they got our numbers,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Opposition parties have criticized the BJP’s outreach efforts, alleging political propaganda disguised as citizen feedback.
The Kerala Congress criticized Prime Minister Modi for misusing government resources for political gain. Many recipients also expressed concerns over the perceived breach of their data privacy.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor took to X on Monday to share screenshots of a LinkedIn post by UAE consultant Anthony J. Permal, along with the comments. “Will the @ECISVEEP take note of such a blatant misuse of government machinery and government data to serve the partisan political interests of the ruling party?”
