India elects female politician from tribal group as new president

India elects female politician from tribal group as new president
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Painter Jagjot Singh Rubal gives final touches to a painting of Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu, in Amritsar on July 21, 2022. (AFP)
India elects female politician from tribal group as new president
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Art school students make paintings of India's Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu, in Mumbai on July 21, 2022. (AFP)
India elects female politician from tribal group as new president
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Folk dancers perform at the temporary residence of India's President elect Droupadi Murmu after she was elected as country's new president in New Delhi on July 21, 2022. (AFP)
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Updated 21 July 2022

India elects female politician from tribal group as new president

India elects female politician from tribal group as new president
  • Droupadi Murmu is a member of one of the largest of India’s officially recognized tribes
  • She is the second woman after Pratibha Devisingh Patil to serve as Indian president

NEW DELHI: India elected on Thursday a female politician from a tribal community as its new president, giving new visibility to a substantial minority group that has long been marginalized.

Droupadi Murmu, 64, a member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party from the eastern state of Odisha, belongs to the Santhal tribe, one of the largest of India’s roughly 700 recognized tribes, which make up about 9 percent of the country’s more than 1.4 billion population.

Modi took to social media to announce Murmu’s win, as election commission results showed that she had secured a majority of the votes cast by lawmakers from both houses of the parliament and the legislative assemblies of each of India’s states and territories.

“Congratulations to Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji on this feat,” the prime minister said in a Twitter post.

“India scripts history. At a time when 1.3 billion Indians are marking Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, a daughter of India hailing from a tribal community born in a remote part of eastern India has been elected our President!”

Murmu is the second woman after Pratibha Devisingh Patil to serve as Indian president and will take over from incumbent President Ram Nath Kovind, whose term expires on July 25.

She competed for the post with opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha, who was a senior BJP leader before he left the party in 2018, following a divergence with Modi on economic issues. Sinha, 84, had served as the country’s finance minister during the previous BJP government from 1998 to 2002, and as the foreign minister between 2002 and 2004.

Murmu’s presence in the presidential role has been expected to boost the BJP’s efforts to win tribal voters in state elections in Gujarat this year, and in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh next year. The four states account for nearly a half of India’s tribal population.

But for Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, a Delhi-based writer and analyst specialized in Hindu nationalist politics, the victory will not necessarily translate into electoral gains.

“Her victory is not significant for the tribals of the country. It is tokenism,” he told Arab News. “It’s not a game-changer for Modi. It puts opposition parties in lots of difficulties because it enabled the BJP to say that you are not supporting a tribal woman who faced an upper-caste Hindu man, Yashwant Sinha, as her opponent. But beyond that it is not going to help Modi.”

Mukhopadhyay was also skeptical about the impact Murmu’s presidency will have on tribal communities, which belong to the lowest strata of India’s caste hierarchy, as the Indian presidency is a largely ceremonial post because all executive authority is held by the prime minister.

“It will really not help them in improving their lot,” Mukhopadhyay said. “We have seen that in the last five years that the state of marginalized people remained the same.”

The Indian presidency is a ceremonial role. The primary duty of the Indian president is to preserve the constitution, appoint the chief justice or attorney general. The president is also the supreme commander of the Indian Armed Forces, and can declare war or conclude peace.


Indian Parliament disqualifies Rahul Gandhi after conviction in defamation case

India's Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi, second left, arrives at the district court in Surat on March 23, 2023. (AFP)
India's Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi, second left, arrives at the district court in Surat on March 23, 2023. (AFP)
Updated 14 sec ago

Indian Parliament disqualifies Rahul Gandhi after conviction in defamation case

India's Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi, second left, arrives at the district court in Surat on March 23, 2023. (AFP)
  • Gandhi says is willing to pay any price in his fight for ‘the voice of India’
  • He was sentenced to two years in jail in a defamation case linked to PM Modi’s surname

NEW DELHI: India’s Parliament disqualified main opposition leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday, a day after he was convicted in a defamation case and sentenced to two years of imprisonment. The former president of India’s Congress party and a scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, which has given the country four prime ministers, was found guilty of defamation by a lower court in Gujarat — the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The court convicted Gandhi for comments made in a speech ahead of the 2019 general election, in which he referred to thieves as having the surname Modi.

“Rahul Gandhi, a member of Lok Sabha (lower house) representing the Wayanad Parliamentary Constituency of Kerala, stands disqualified from the membership of Lok Sabha from the date of his conviction, i.e. 23 March, 2023,” the lower house of Parliament said in a notification on Friday.

If a higher court does not overturn the conviction, Gandhi would be barred from contesting next year’s polls, in which he has been seen as a main opponent to the rule of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.

According to Indian law, a convicted legislator cannot contest elections for six years after the end of their jail sentence.

Gandhi took to Twitter after his disqualification to say that he is “fighting for the voice of India” and is “willing to pay any price for that.”

Gandhi is on bail for 30 days and his party said would it appeal the Gujarat court’s verdict. The party led a protest march outside the parliament building on Friday, with opposition leaders carrying a large banner reading “democracy in danger.”

“They (BJP) tried all ways to disqualify him. They don’t want to keep those who are speaking the truth, but we will continue to speak the truth,” Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters.

“If needed, we’ll go to jail to save democracy.”

Gandhi, 52, is the son of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. His grandmother Indira Gandhi was India’s first female leader, and his great-grandfather, Jawaharlal Nehru, was the country’s founding prime minister.

Opposition parties, cutting across their political differences, condemned his disqualification from parliament.

“In PM Modi’s New India opposition leaders have become the prime target of BJP,” tweeted Mamata Bannerjee, chief minister of the eastern state of West Bengal and a strong regional leader.

“Today, we have witnessed a new low for our constitutional democracy.”

But experts say the conviction and disqualification may offer the opposition a new card to play.

“However the Congress does it, it’s going to be a big challenge for them. There is a potential they can convert this disqualification into a qualification for a much bigger thing,” Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, a political analyst, told Arab News. But to stay the conviction or have Gandhi acquitted means a long legal battle for him and the Congress, which is preparing for local polls this year and general elections in 2024.

“They are getting ready for a bunch of state elections and parliament polls and would like to package Rahul’s disqualification as an attack on democracy and how voices are being smothered that are opposed to BJP or Modi, but they would have to rely a lot on how determined Rahul is to fight,” said Sanjay Kapoor, chief editor of the political magazine Hard News and former secretary-general of the Editors Guild of India.

“A fall in his morale could see Congress slipping badly in state elections as well as 2024 polls. It’s a big challenge for the Congress and Rahul.”

 

 


Muslim man asked not to pray inside Ottawa train station

Muslim man asked not to pray inside Ottawa train station
Updated 24 March 2023

Muslim man asked not to pray inside Ottawa train station

Muslim man asked not to pray inside Ottawa train station
  • Viral video of incident showed guard in security vest telling man prayers were disturbing other people
  • Via Rail issued unreserved apology to Muslim community, promised full investigation

DUBAI: A security guard subcontracted to work for Canada’s Via Rail has been suspended pending investigation after asking a Muslim man not to pray at an Ottawa train station.
CTV News Ottawa on Thursday reported that the worshipper, who identified himself only as Ahmad, had just finished praying in an empty hallway when the guard approached him and said, “don’t pray in here … Pray outside next time.”
Ahmad told the news channel that the incident happened on Monday at the station in the Canadian capital.
According to Ottawa Citizen news website, a video of the incident that went viral showed the guard in his security vest telling the man that his prayers were disturbing other station users.
Via Rail issued an unreserved apology to the man and the entire Muslim community and promised a full investigating and “appropriate actions” based on its findings.
Following a meeting to discuss what was described as a “regrettable and saddening incident,” Via Rail and the National Council of Canadian Muslims, a civil rights and advocacy group, issued a joint statement that said the two parties had held constructive talks and that the operator was working to improve its diversity and inclusion policies.
“The conversation focused on common objectives, namely, to ensure that Via Rail provides an inclusive environment where passengers and employees feel safe practicing freedom of religion, including the ability to worship,” the statement added.
The guard also reportedly told Ahmad, “we don’t want you praying here. You’re bothering our other customers, OK?”
Ahmad told CTV News that he was left feeling shocked, hurt, and disrespected.
He said: “He made me feel embarrassed. I was just disgusted. Like, this is Canada? This is the nation’s capital? This is Ottawa?”
Via Rail officials noted that the firm would be sharing its diversity and inclusion policies with the NCCM and would work with the group on “any improvements that could be brought to help prevent these incidents in the future.”
The railway company also pointed out that it strongly condemned Islamophobia and any discriminatory behavior.
The security guard was not an employee of Via Rail, but a spokesperson said the firm had asked its subcontractor to remove him from all Via Rail contracts pending the outcome of the investigation.
The NCCM has since been in contact with Ahmad.
 


More than two-thirds of Muslims in England, Wales live in high unemployment areas

More than two-thirds of Muslims in England, Wales live in high unemployment areas
Updated 24 March 2023

More than two-thirds of Muslims in England, Wales live in high unemployment areas

More than two-thirds of Muslims in England, Wales live in high unemployment areas
  • Muslim Council of Britain: ‘Level playing field for young Muslims’ will prove a ‘national asset’
  • A study published last year in the Ethnic and Racial Studies journal found that discrimination had contributed to the creation of a “Muslim penalty” in Britain

LONDON: More than two-thirds of Muslims in England and Wales live in local authorities that report the highest levels of unemployment, The Guardian reported on Friday.
Census data shows that about 2.6 million Muslims live in areas where the recorded unemployment level was as high as one in 20 people aged 16-64.
The data has led to campaigners urging the government to focus on Muslim youth as part of its plan to “level up” Britain’s economy.
New figures from the Office of National Statistics also revealed that Muslims in England and Wales reported the highest unemployment rates among religious groups, at 6.7 percent.
Only 26 percent of Christians, as well as 25 percent of atheists, live in areas with the highest unemployment levels, but for Muslim communities in England and Wales, the figure stood at 68 percent.
In the three local authorities that reported the highest unemployment rates in the country — Birmingham, London’s Newham and Wolverhampton — 7 percent of people of working age are looking for jobs.
However, the ONS said that the age trends among Muslims, as compared to other groups, may be a contributing factor to the statistics, with younger Muslims more likely to be studying than youth in the general population.
Of those who identified as Muslim in the census, the percentage of students in the group was almost twice the rate seen in the overall population in England and Wales.
In response to the census findings, a spokesperson for the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) said: “The inter-generational cycles of poverty impacting British Muslim communities can result in young people being forced to leave education in pursuit of work so they can help support their families.
“Those that are able to break into the job market, pursuing chosen careers, can face Islamophobic prejudice and discrimination in the workplace.”
A study published last year in the Ethnic and Racial Studies journal found that discrimination had contributed to the creation of a “Muslim penalty” in Britain, with Islam being deemed a “significant barrier” to entering the workforce.
The MCB spokesperson added: “The post COVID-19 economic reality is that ‘leveling up’ is not just a priority for our rural communities. Targeted support is needed in the heart of inner cities where minority ethnic and Muslim populations may reside.
“Given a level playing field, the dynamism and sheer potential of young British Muslims will prove itself to be a strategic national asset.”


Albanian PM says UK has shown ‘regret’ over home secretary’s remarks

Albanian PM says UK has shown ‘regret’ over home secretary’s remarks
Updated 24 March 2023

Albanian PM says UK has shown ‘regret’ over home secretary’s remarks

Albanian PM says UK has shown ‘regret’ over home secretary’s remarks
  • Edi Rama praises government for ‘words, but also deeds’ in bid to reset relations
  • Rama in UK for talks about small boat Channel crossings, described by Suella Braverman as an ‘invasion’

LONDON: Edi Rama, the prime minister of Albania, said there were “important signs of regret and embarrassment” during talks with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak about the language used by a senior British minister to describe Albanian migrants.
UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman drew criticism last year when she described illegal small boat crossings in the English Channel as an “invasion,” adding that they were being fueled by “Albanian criminals” owing to many of those running the boat routes being Albanian, and the number of people from the Balkan country making the journey and claiming asylum in the UK.
Government figures suggest that up to a third of all people crossing the English Channel in small boats in 2022 were from Albania.
In December, Sunak announced a five-point plan to reduce the number of crossings, which included striking a deal with Albania to station UK Border Force personnel in the country’s capital, Tirana.
Following his meeting with Sunak on Thursday, Rama told Sky News: “British/Albanian relations touched the lowest point in history since we have come out of communism because of (Braverman’s) rhetoric that has put the Albanian community in Britain under very, very heavy pressure.
“I must say that, finally, on the side of Downing Street, we have been heard and there are not only words, but also deeds in putting in place a joint task force to crack down on the criminal networks, which is, of course, something Albania has always wanted.
“While we are (seeing) very important signs of regret and of embarrassment, that is, let’s say, enough at this point. I hope very much that this will not be repeated and that the Albanian community here will be really honored.”
Rama added that it is not unusual for people from former communist countries to seek new lives in the West, and that the UK is, despite the rhetoric, still a very appealing place for many.
“I’m not here to question the sovereignty and the mandate of the British government to have a policy on the borders … but this is what it is all about — economic reasons for coming, getting a job and building a future in a place that has always been the shining city on a hill,” he told Sky News.
He added that part of the solution to the small boat crossings would be an easier visa system for aspiring Albanian workers.
“They claim asylum because there is no other way. They are not part of the free labor market. So it’s all about dreaming and hoping to get what they imagine best for their life now and without waiting for many more years (for this to) happen in Albania.
“Never forget that the Albanians here are doing great and they are helping and contributing for Britain to be a better place,” he continued. “Albanians here are working for construction companies, Albanians are nursing elderly people, Albanians are doing your cooking — so improving the British kitchens, I must say — and they are even singing too, let alone the academics and the students. And it has been so unfair to them to put them under such pressure.”


Protesters greet Netanyahu as he meets UK leader in London

Protesters greet Netanyahu as he meets UK leader in London
Updated 24 March 2023

Protesters greet Netanyahu as he meets UK leader in London

Protesters greet Netanyahu as he meets UK leader in London
  • Sunak also raised Netanyahu's controversial judicial reforms
  • Some women protesting outside Downing Street wore red robes and white caps inspired by “The Handmaid's Tale,” a novel and TV series set in a dystopian future

LONDON: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak held talks with Benjamin Netanyahu in London on Friday as protesters shouting “Shame!” In Hebrew demonstrated against the Israeli leader’s right-wing policies and his plans to overhaul the country’s judiciary.
Netanyahu had to pass by hundreds of protesters waving Israeli flags and waving signs calling for the defense of Israeli democracy as he arrived at 10 Downing St. for talks that focused on the war in Ukraine and concerns about Iran’s nuclear program.
Sunak also raised Netanyahu’s controversial judicial reforms, which have sparked mass protests in Israel and beyond. One placard in London read: “We are Israelis and Jews living in the UK demonstrating against Prime Minister Netanyahu, who is leading a judicial coup turning Israel into a dictatorship.”
Some women protesting outside Downing Street wore red robes and white caps inspired by “The Handmaid’s Tale,” a novel and TV series set in a dystopian future. Similarly clad demonstrators have become fixtures of the mass protests roiling Israel.
Sunak “stressed the importance of upholding the democratic values that underpin our relationship, including in the proposed judicial reforms in Israel,” the British leader’s office said in an official readout of the meeting.
Netanyahu’s proposals would give his government more control over judicial appointments, weaken the Supreme Court by limiting judicial review of legislation and allow Parliament to overturn court decisions with a simple majority vote.
He arrived in London as protesters in Israel blocked roads and clashed with police. The planned judicial system overhaul have ignited the biggest protests in the country’s history amid rare dissent from people throughout Israeli society, including military reservists, navy veterans, high-tech businesspeople and former officials.
Netanyahu’s right-wing government has also been criticized for its hard-line policy toward Palestinians, including recent comments by a government minister who denied the existence of the Palestinian people and their right to self-determination.
Sunak “reiterated our support for two-state solution,” and Britain’s view that Israel’s West Bank settlements are illegal and ”contrary to the cause of peace,” spokesman Jamie Davies said.
“Israel is a vital international partner for the United Kingdom, and the prime minister was visiting London, and this was an important opportunity to talk about issues that matter to both countries, whether that’s the threat of Iran, Russia, new trade and investment … as well as peace and stability in the Middle East,” Davies said.
Netanyahu’s office said the two leaders discussed the rapidly advancing nuclear program of Israel’s archenemy, Iran, as well as “deepening strategic cooperation in security, intelligence and economic fields.”
As thousands of people took to the streets across Israel on Thursday, Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, defiantly pledged to proceed with the judicial overhaul, hours after his coalition passed a law making it harder to remove him from office.
Rights groups and Palestinians say Israel’s democratic ideals have long been tarnished by the country’s 55-year, open-ended occupation of lands the Palestinians seek for an independent state and the treatment of Palestinian Israeli citizens, who face discrimination in many spheres.
Netanyahu pushed back his departure to Britain until 4 a.m. Friday to deal with the political crisis.