Singapore. Singapore Home Minister K. Home Minister K. Shanmugam has expressed strong displeasure over the racist and objectionable comments being made on the internet about Indians. He said that some people have made very poor and racist comments regarding the issues related to the severe floods in China-Nepal and the investment of Singapore Airlines (SIA) in Air India. Shanmugam said he has asked the police to investigate these comments. He said that such people should not be allowed to hide behind the anonymity of the internet, rather they should be identified and action should be taken. He called these comments shameful, disgusting and completely unacceptable.
Shanmugam said that even when many Singaporeans were missing following the devastating floods in Nepal, racist comments were made against them on social media. Giving an example, he said that some people also wrote very objectionable things about the missing Singaporeans. He said that this situation becomes more serious when more than 1000 people have lost their lives and many people are still missing. Shanmugam said most Singaporeans do not think like this. He said that Singapore Red Cross has raised more than 3 million Singapore dollars for relief work in Nepal. Despite being from different communities, Singaporeans help each other and people from other countries in times of need.
What is the matter related to Air India?
A new wave of racist comments against Indians was also seen on social media regarding Singapore Airlines' investment in Air India. Shanmugam said that some people made comments about Indians like snakes, curry, paratha and black magic. He said Temasek's CEO and senior executives were also targeted on social media on the basis of their ethnic identity. To say that because of an officer's Indian origin he will take a decision in favor of Air India is wrong and defamatory.
Of. Shanmugam stressed that the officers concerned were born, educated in Singapore and are pure Singaporeans. Targeting a person on the basis of his caste identity cannot be accepted. Singapore Airlines has to decide on investment amid reports of Air India seeking additional capital of about $ 1.5 billion from its shareholders. Shanmugam clearly said that the board of directors and management of Singapore Airlines should decide whether to continue investing in Air India or not.