Not one Muslim? Indian businessman comes under racial attack at Riyadh exhibition
In the video, the man appears to mock the firm for its religious identity, sneering that it has "not even one Muslim." The controversy gained traction after a UAE-based political analyst shared the video online, condemning the incident as "blatant racism."
A video from a business exhibition in Riyadh has sparked outrage online after showing an Indian exhibitor being verbally targeted over his religion. The undated clip, which India Today TV has not independently verified, shows a Saudi individual confronting staff at an Indian company’s stall.
In the video, the man appears to mock the firm for its religious identity, sneering that it has “not even one Muslim."
The controversy gained traction after UAE-based political analyst Amjad Taha shared the video on X, condemning the incident as “blatant racism".
In his post, Taha pushed back against the remarks, writing that “Indian is not an insult” and defending India’s civilisational heritage.
“Business is not a mosque roll call, and faith policing has no place in modern society,” Taha wrote, calling the behaviour “shameful” and “absolutely unacceptable.”
The identity of the individuals involved and the organisers of the exhibition have not yet been publicly confirmed.
It is also unclear whether any formal complaint has been filed or if authorities have responded to the incident.
The remarks were widely criticised by social media users as racist and sectarian, with many saying the confrontation targeted personal identity.
"Saudi Arabia's ranking second in racism in the Middle East after Iran is a disgrace to all Arab countries," an X user posted.
Another person said, "He’s so rude!! The guy is there for business, why would they attack anyone for their belief!! Saudi is not a good place for investment! Saudi’s are extreme, and not open to diversity!"
A social media user even urged the Indian Embassy in Riyadh to take up the matter with the Saudi government, and said, "Why invite Indians if they are discriminated on race and religion? In what way are Saudis superior?"
"What appears in this video is pure racism. It does not represent values, religion, or society; it represents an individual shaped by ignorance and a psychologically unhealthy environment. Business is about effort, creativity, and merit not identity, faith, or nationality," another user said.
A video from a business exhibition in Riyadh has sparked outrage online after showing an Indian exhibitor being verbally targeted over his religion. The undated clip, which India Today TV has not independently verified, shows a Saudi individual confronting staff at an Indian company’s stall.
In the video, the man appears to mock the firm for its religious identity, sneering that it has “not even one Muslim."
The controversy gained traction after UAE-based political analyst Amjad Taha shared the video on X, condemning the incident as “blatant racism".
In his post, Taha pushed back against the remarks, writing that “Indian is not an insult” and defending India’s civilisational heritage.
“Business is not a mosque roll call, and faith policing has no place in modern society,” Taha wrote, calling the behaviour “shameful” and “absolutely unacceptable.”
The identity of the individuals involved and the organisers of the exhibition have not yet been publicly confirmed.
It is also unclear whether any formal complaint has been filed or if authorities have responded to the incident.
The remarks were widely criticised by social media users as racist and sectarian, with many saying the confrontation targeted personal identity.
"Saudi Arabia's ranking second in racism in the Middle East after Iran is a disgrace to all Arab countries," an X user posted.
Another person said, "He’s so rude!! The guy is there for business, why would they attack anyone for their belief!! Saudi is not a good place for investment! Saudi’s are extreme, and not open to diversity!"
A social media user even urged the Indian Embassy in Riyadh to take up the matter with the Saudi government, and said, "Why invite Indians if they are discriminated on race and religion? In what way are Saudis superior?"
"What appears in this video is pure racism. It does not represent values, religion, or society; it represents an individual shaped by ignorance and a psychologically unhealthy environment. Business is about effort, creativity, and merit not identity, faith, or nationality," another user said.