Union Minister Kiren Rijiju engages with Indian Community in Riyadh, highlights key initiatives
Riyadh: The Indian Embassy in Riyadh hosted an Indian Community Interaction Program on January 11, 2025, at its auditorium in the Diplomatic Quarter. The event, attended by Union Minister for Parliamentary and Minority Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju, brought together Indian community members, embassy officials, and dignitaries.
Minister Rijiju was welcomed with a traditional Himachali cap and shawl, symbolising India's cultural richness. Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan, shared the stage with the Minister.
In his address, Rijiju highlighted the growing strategic partnership between India and Saudi Arabia, emphasising the importance of strengthening bilateral ties in trade, education, technology, and culture. He recognised the contributions of the 2.6 million Indians in Saudi Arabia and their role in enhancing the relationship between the two nations.
A significant part of the Minister's speech focused on the preparations for Hajj 2025. He announced an increase in the Hajj quota for Indian pilgrims and outlined new measures to improve the experience for elderly pilgrims, women, and others. These efforts include enhanced travel, accommodation, and healthcare facilities in collaboration with Saudi authorities, ensuring a smoother and more comfortable pilgrimage.
Rijiju also touched on India's rising global stature, noting how India has transformed into a global center of power, with strong ties to nearly every nation. He expressed pride in the positive shift in global perceptions of India and its people.
The Minister commended the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate in Jeddah for their exceptional work, particularly in managing one of the busiest workloads among Indian missions worldwide, including processing around 600 passports daily. He also praised the Embassy's active involvement in promoting bilateral relations.
The evening featured cultural performances by students from Indian International Schools in Riyadh, showcasing India's diverse linguistic and cultural heritage. Rijiju expressed appreciation for the students' performances, highlighting the importance of respecting all Indian languages.
The event concluded with the distribution of prizes to competition winners, leaving attendees inspired by their shared cultural roots. Dinesh Setia, First Secretary at the Indian Embassy, served as the master of ceremonies, ensuring the smooth flow of the program.
The Indian community in Riyadh expressed their gratitude to Rijiju for his inspiring vision and the Embassy for hosting a memorable evening.
(Inputs from Dr. & Adv. P.A. Hameed Padubidri, Riyadh)
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Congress promotes ‘vote chori’ campaign through Instagram video featuring Kay Kay Menon
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New Delhi: The Congress party, which recently launched its “Vote Chori” (vote theft) campaign demanding transparency in voter rolls, has released a promotional video on Instagram featuring actor Kay Kay Menon.
The video was shared with the caption: “Himmat Singh kuch keh rahe hain, jaldi se kar aao! Band karo”, translated as “Himmat Singh is saying something, go and do it quickly! Stop it.” It was followed by instructions to join the campaign: “To join the campaign — click the link in the bio or give a missed call to 9650003420.”
Himmat Singh is the name of the intelligence officer character portrayed by Kay Kay Menon in the Hotstar Specials series Special Ops.
The “Vote Chori” campaign, led by Congress Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, alleges large-scale manipulation in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, particularly in Karnataka’s Bangalore Central constituency, through fake voter entries, duplicate names, and invalid addresses. The campaign portal, votechori.in, enables citizens to access alleged evidence, report voter list discrepancies, and receive a digital certificate supporting the demand for machine-readable digital voter rolls.
The Election Commission has rejected the allegations as “false and misleading” and has asked Gandhi to either provide a signed declaration with supporting evidence under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, or issue a public apology. The BJP has described the campaign as a political stunt.
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