PTI
New York
After Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg, Google's India-born head Sundar Pichai has come out in support of Muslims saying it is important to have a diverse mix of voices and backgrounds to build a company or leading a country.
Responding to Republican Presidential hopeful Donald Trump's comments seeking ban on Muslim entry into the US, Pichai, in a post on Medium wrote, it is “disheartening to see the intolerant discourse playing out in the news”.
“I debated whether to post this, because lately it seems that criticism of intolerance just gives more oxygen to this debate. But I feel we must speak out -- particularly those of us who are not under attack,” he wrote.
Everyone has the right to their views, but it's also important that those who are less represented know that those are not the views of all, Pichai added.
“Let's not let fear defeat our values. We must support Muslim and other minority communities in the US and around the world,” he said.
Trump had caused international outrage earlier this week when he called for “a total and complete shutdown” on Muslims entering the US.
In a response, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg pledged support to Muslims around the world and said the social networking giant would fight to protect their rights and create a “peaceful and safe” environment for them.
“I want to add my voice in support of Muslims in our community and around the world. After the Paris attacks and hate this week, I can only imagine the fear Muslims feel that they will be persecuted for the actions of others,” he wrote on his page.
Describing his move from India to America 22 years ago, Pichai said he saw how hard work opened a lot of doors for him in the “land of opportunity”.
“And I've felt as much a part of this country, as I felt growing up in India. My experience is obviously not unique. America provided access to opportunities that simply didn't exist for many of us before we arrived,” Pichai said.
He added that the “open-mindedness, tolerance, and acceptance of new Americans” is one of the country's greatest strengths and most defining characteristics.
“And that is no coincidence -- America, after all, was and is a country of immigrants,” he said.
Pichai said he firmly believes that a diverse mix of voices, backgrounds and experiences leads to better discussions, better decisions, and better outcomes for everyone.
