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Dr Gargash slams criticism over Abu Dhabi temple

Gargash replies to tweets denouncing approval to build Hindu place of worship.

Using the issue of providing land for a Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi to discredit the UAE is a not a good trend, tweeted Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. "It is the trend of a partisan group which myopically sees only what it wants to see, and ignores facts," he added. He was replying to tweets criticising the provision of land to build a Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi.

"I searched and found a temple built in Turkey, the seat of rule of the Caliphate ... I also searched in Pakistan and found a list of Hindu temples, as well as in Indonesia and Malaysia; therefore the topic should be put in its context."

Gargash said the Hindu temple which exists in Dubai was built as early as in 1902 and served the Hindu community from India who had at that time come to the Gulf.

"I hope these groups (who criticise) would revise the annals instead of creating an environment of terrorism and extremism, breaking up societies, and dividing Muslims into groups and categories," he noted. Dr Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Vice-Chancellor of the UAE University said: "Half scholars and many who trade in religion have created confusion leading to differences among Muslims.

"Some of them claim to be the last word on fatwa but have lost the essence of Islam, which is tolerance and mercy," he said.

Such people, he said, do not listen to talk about tolerance with non-Muslims.

As for the decision of the temple, it is not a religious one, but a political decision of the Ruler, and no one shall have the right to self-impose himself as Ruler of the nation due to his personal comprehension.

"Tolerance is imperative for people to coexist, and Emiratis are naturally a tolerant people - with themselves and with others," he added.

The Indian prime minister Narendra Modi had expressed appreciation to His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces for his decision to allot a plot of land for building a temple in Abu Dhabi during his visit to the UAE last week.