Rahul Gandhi strikes a chord with Indian expats in UAE

Khaleej Times

January 12, 2019

Dubai, Jan 12: A rockstar politician with dreams of a new India, Indian opposition leader and Congress party president Rahul Gandhi struck the right notes on pluralism and compassion on Friday, the first day of his two-day visit to the UAE.

More importantly, he was here to listen to the harmony enjoyed by Indians and other communities. He told Indian workers at a labour accommodation that he would be their voice if they didn't have one. He would vocalise their mann ki baat (what's in their hearts), in what was a dig at Indian PM Narendra Modi's radio programme by the same name.

That struck the right chord for what would be a busy day of events for the man who will lead his Congress party against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Indian elections soon.

What was interesting about the leader was that he showed that he had the common touch. He was humble, accessible, friendly and engaging.

And the crowd loved him for it - more than 25,000 of them - who had packed the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on a nippy night. The mass of humanity overflowed on the roads outside the venue as they hung on to his every word.

"I want to tell you that till the day I die, my doors, my ears and my heart will always be open for you," said Gandhi during his politically-charged but rousing speech.

"We are going to make sure that your voice is heard in your country," he told Indians to loud applause. He held out hope that they would find representation in the Indian upper house of Parliament. Rahul was all praise for His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. "I experienced humility. Great nations are built with that kind of humility," he said of the visionary leader.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

Israel launches bloody ground offensive into Gaza’s Jabalia refugee camp

News Network

May 12,2024

Israeli military tanks have started to go deeper into the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza as part of a ground offensive months after claiming Hamas had been “dismantled” in the area.

Israeli forces are “carpet-bombing” the eastern areas of Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, killing and wounding several Palestinians, Al-Jazeara reported citing local sources on Sunday.

Israeli military tanks have advanced further into the Jabalia refugee camp, crossing Salah al-Din Street amidst ongoing battles with Hamas fighters, reports added.

Media quoted eyewitnesses as saying that the tanks are surrounding evacuation centers and residential buildings in the densely populated area, leading to mass evacuations and displacement towards the western part of Gaza City.

Also, Israeli drones targeted ambulances near the clinic run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Jabalia, according to Mahmoud Basal, the spokesperson for the civil defense directorate in Gaza.

Basal stated that emergency crews in Rafah, al-Zaytounm, al-Sabra, and Jabalia have been inundated with distress calls, confirming that these areas were subjected to overnight bombardment.

Shortage of oxygen for patients

Imad Abu Zayda, an emergency doctor in Jabalia, warned of the critical conditions prevailing there due to the recent Israeli aggression in the area.

“No light due to the lack of fuel and there’s no medical supplement available as Israel has expanded their operation in the area. We have no oxygen to give to patients,” he said.

He added that the majority of those injured are children and women, and the medical team is grappling with limited resources to provide essential care.

All hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip are now out of service, following a warning from the UN about the risk of running out of fuel in hospitals across the region.

Israel’s closure of the Rafah crossing has also prevented aid trucks from entering the area since May 5.

The Jabalia refugee camp, established in 1948 to accommodate Palestinians who were displaced after the Nakba, or catastrophe, which refers to the ethnic cleansing of Palestine in 1948, has become the most densely populated refugee camp in the Gaza Strip.

With over 750,000 Palestinians forcefully displaced, this camp stands as a testament to the birth of Israel in 1948.

Since the start of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, Israeli forces carried out several attacks on Jabilia camp, leaving it in ruins by intense bombardment.

In early February, Israeli forces withdrew from the camp claiming it had destroyed Hamas as a fighting force in the northern areas.

On Saturday, the Israeli military ordered residents of the Jabalia Refugee Camp to evacuate “immediately”, as it prepares to launch military operations against Hamas.

However, the displaced residents have no place to seek refuge, as the UN reports a severe famine in the region.

Since the start of the offensive, the Tel Aviv regime has killed more than 34,971 Palestinians and injured more than 78,641 others, mostly women and children.

Comments