NEW DELHI // India's government has been hard hit by a slowing economy and a parliamentary logjam. For many, anti-graft activist Anna Hazare allows them to vent their frustration with a government increasingly seen as inept and incapable of dealing with the slew of recent corruption scandals.
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Mr Hazare, who held what he called a day-long hunger strike yesterday, has tapped a nerve in a country where millions live on less than a dollar a day and daily life depends on bribes - at the smallest and highest levels.
Ratan Singh is 84. He is a retired civil servant who said he had to pay a bribe of 1,000 Indian rupees (Dh70) to another official just to get a wedding licence for his daughter.
"We pay taxes and the politicians eat the money. They take our money and send their children to shop and study abroad," he fumed yesterday during Mr Hazare's protest.
Mr Hazare's token fast as well as his rant against the Congress-led government comes ahead of his plans for potentially much longer hunger strike on December 27.
On Friday, the Indian cabinet was supposed to hold discussions on the government's version of the legislation, known as the Lokpal, or ombudsman, bill. But parliament was adjourned before the bill could be tabled.
In July, the government passed a version of the bill that kept the prime minister, the judiciary and lower bureaucracy out of is ambit.
Yesterday, more than 1,500 people gathered at Jantar Mantar, an ancient observatory, chanting slogans borrowed from India's independence, such as "Vande Mataram". (I bow to thee, Mother) and waving the Indian tri-coloured flag.
"He is our hope," said Nitish Pathak, 21, a student of business studies at the Indian Institute of Planning and Management in Delhi.
"We go about our daily lives steeped in corruption and then a man like him comes along and makes us realise what we should stand up for."
Mr Hazare says he has no political ambitions. But he plans to travel the country to campaign against the Congress government, ahead of elections. Federal elections are in 2014. State elections in some states will take place early next year.
"Why should they be allowed to stay in power when they are not allowing a strong anti-corruption bill to be passed?" he said.
"They think that our agitation cannot do anything. I will show them. I will campaign in five states going for assembly polls."
Key states are due to go to the polls, including Uttar Pradesh - the most populous and one of the poorest - Gujarat, racked by communal violence in 2002, and the remote north-eastern state of Manipur, home of a decades-old secessionist rebellion.
Mr Hazare was also joined by in his one-day fast by members of the opposition, including the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party, Communist Party and the Samajwadi Party, which is contesting the Congress party for control of Uttar Pradesh, the bellwether for national politics.
Most of them chose to take potshots at the government.
Brinda Karat, of the Indian Communist Party said: "when this government was in opposition, they argued that the prime minster must be covered by the Lokpal."
For its part, the government condemned Mr Hazare's latest protest, calling it unproductive and accusing him of "promoting violence".
"The Lokpal bill cannot be made at Jantar Mantar," said Rashid Alvi, Congress spokesman.
The government has long argued Mr Hazare is undermining the parliamentary process by dragging the debate out of parliament house and onto the street.
The parliamentary debate meant little for the thousands gathered to watch Mr Hazare.
Food stalls, face painters and hawkers were selling Anna Hazare souvenirs and the Indian flag, tri-colour bracelets and the Hazare hat, known as a topi, with the words, "I am Anna" emblazoned on the sides.
Rama Kant, 40, from the state of Jharkhand, stood on his head for an hour and a half. Mr Kant, a yoga practitioner and a social worker, said: "This is symbolic of how the Indian government is today, their priorities are upside down."
sbhattacharya@thenational.ae
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
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Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
If you go
Flying
Despite the extreme distance, flying to Fairbanks is relatively simple, requiring just one transfer in Seattle, which can be reached directly from Dubai with Emirates for Dh6,800 return.
Touring
Gondwana Ecotours’ seven-day Polar Bear Adventure starts in Fairbanks in central Alaska before visiting Kaktovik and Utqiarvik on the North Slope. Polar bear viewing is highly likely in Kaktovik, with up to five two-hour boat tours included. Prices start from Dh11,500 per person, with all local flights, meals and accommodation included; gondwanaecotours.com
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
It’ll be summer in the city as car show tries to move with the times
If 2008 was the year that rocked Detroit, 2019 will be when Motor City gives its annual car extravaganza a revamp that aims to move with the times.
A major change is that this week's North American International Auto Show will be the last to be held in January, after which the event will switch to June.
The new date, organisers said, will allow exhibitors to move vehicles and activities outside the Cobo Center's halls and into other city venues, unencumbered by cold January weather, exemplified this week by snow and ice.
In a market in which trends can easily be outpaced beyond one event, the need to do so was probably exacerbated by the decision of Germany's big three carmakers – BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi – to skip the auto show this year.
The show has long allowed car enthusiasts to sit behind the wheel of the latest models at the start of the calendar year but a more fluid car market in an online world has made sales less seasonal.
Similarly, everyday technology seems to be catching up on those whose job it is to get behind microphones and try and tempt the visiting public into making a purchase.
Although sparkly announcers clasp iPads and outline the technical gadgetry hidden beneath bonnets, people's obsession with their own smartphones often appeared to offer a more tempting distraction.
“It's maddening,” said one such worker at Nissan's stand.
The absence of some pizzazz, as well as top marques, was also noted by patrons.
“It looks like there are a few less cars this year,” one annual attendee said of this year's exhibitors.
“I can't help but think it's easier to stay at home than to brave the snow and come here.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
