The death penalty on eight former Indian Navy officers accused of spying in Qatar has sparked a political row in India as opposition leaders cornered Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government over its inability to rescue its citizens.
Leaders from the main opposition Indian National Congress and others have demanded that Mr Modi act to bring the men back home.
Anil Trigunayat, India's former ambassador to Jordan, Libya and Malta, told The National that he hoped the crisis over the men's fate would be resolved soon to avoid disrupting India's "strong relationship" with Qatar.
“The details of the entire case are shrouded in mystery and opacity. Trust the MEA and Prime Minister’s Office will act immediately with the highest levels of the Qatar government to support an appeal and bring them home,” said Shashi Tharoor, senior Congress leader.
His colleague, Manish Tewari, said the Bharatiya Janata Party government had failed in its diplomacy to rescue the men.
The eight former Indian Navy personnel, including decorated officers, were working for Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services, a private company that provided training and related services to Qatar's armed forces. They were reportedly arrested on charges of espionage last year.
Mr Tewari had raised the issue of the incarceration as well as the charges against the men, which have not been made public by either Qatari or Indian authorities, in parliament in December last year.
“Had Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar or MEA been serious then things would never have come to this pass that the eight Navy men would have been sentenced to death for an alleged offence whose details are still unknown,” Mr Tewari said.
“The BJP government for all its muscular nationalism has completely failed to protect the dignity, honour and lives of our ex-servicemen.”
"Since the major issues leading to their arrest are still not fully in the public domain the Qatari First Court decision is highly shocking in the public perception since New Delhi and Doha have excellent strategic ties," Mr Trigunayat told The National.
"Hopefully the higher court of appeal will provide the unfairly accused Indian detainees a fair chance to defend themselves in which the government of India provides them all legal and consular assistance. I believe this issue ought to be resolved fast to remove the irritants in an otherwise strong relationship," he said.
Asaduddin Owaisi, a parliamentarian from All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen, who too had raised the issue in parliament, said the death penalty was unfortunate and appealed to the government to bring the Indian citizens home.
“In August, I had raised the issue of our ex-naval officers stuck in #Qatar. Today they have been sentenced to death. Narendra Modi has boasted about how much 'Islamic countries' love him. He must bring our ex-naval officers back. It’s very unfortunate that they face death row,” he said.
The reactions came a day after Mr Modi’s government announced that the Court of First Instance of Qatar had handed down the death penalty to the eight former officers.
Who are the eight men?
The men have been identified as Capt Navtej Singh Gill, Cdr Purenendu Tiwari, Capt Saurabh Vasisht, Cdr Sanjeev Gupta, Capt Birendra Kumar Verma, Cdr Sugunakar Pakala, Cdr Amit Nagpal and Sailor Ragesh.
All of them worked for up to 20 years in the Indian Navy and have held important positions.
Cdr Tiwari in 2019 was awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, the highest honour conferred on overseas Indians by the Indian embassy in Doha for enhancing India's image abroad.
The group worked at Dahra, a defence service provider organisation.
They were reportedly working on a sensitive project to build midget submarines that have stealth capabilities and are hard to detect.
They are accused of spying on behalf of Israel, according to media reports, and were arrested in August last year. The owner of the company was also arrested, but was reportedly released in November last year.
The men had their first trial in March. New Delhi was providing consular access to the eight prisoners and had tried to secure their release, but Doha had reportedly informed them that there was evidence against the officers suggesting that they passed on intelligence to Israel.
India-Doha relations
New Delhi and Doha co-operate in diverse sectors led by historically close ties and enjoy regular and substantive engagement.
India's bilateral trade with Qatar in 2021-2022 was $15.03 billion. India’s exports to Qatar during 2021-2022 were $1.83 billion and India’s imports from Qatar were $13.19 billion, according to the Indian government.
There are more than 800,000 Indian citizens living in Qatar – the largest expatriate community in the tiny oil-rich nation – who are engaged in a wide range of professions including medicine, engineering, education and finance, as well as a large number of blue-collar workers, according to government data.
The Foreign Ministry in India on Wednesday said that it will take up the court’s verdict with Qatari authorities to secure the release of its citizens.
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Price, base: Dh138,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 268hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 380Nm @ 4,400rpm
Fuel economy: 6.7L / 100km (estimate)
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Profile of MoneyFellows
Founder: Ahmed Wadi
Launched: 2016
Employees: 76
Financing stage: Series A ($4 million)
Investors: Partech, Sawari Ventures, 500 Startups, Dubai Angel Investors, Phoenician Fund
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
THE BIO
Mr Al Qassimi is 37 and lives in Dubai
He is a keen drummer and loves gardening
His favourite way to unwind is spending time with his two children and cooking
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder
Transmission: CVT auto
Power: 181bhp
Torque: 244Nm
Price: Dh122,900
How to avoid crypto fraud
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Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
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First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
If you go...
Etihad flies daily from Abu Dhabi to Zurich, with fares starting from Dh2,807 return. Frequent high speed trains between Zurich and Vienna make stops at St. Anton.
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Dhadak
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana
Stars: 3
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
The specs: 2018 Renault Koleos
Price, base: From Dh77,900
Engine: 2.5L, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 170hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 233Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.3L / 100km
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group F
Manchester City v Hoffenheim, midnight (Wednesday, UAE)
