Thousands of expatriate workers evicted in Qatar's capital ahead of World Cup

News Network
October 29, 2022

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Doha, Oct 29: Qatar has emptied apartment blocks housing thousands of foreign workers in the centre of the capital Doha where visiting soccer fans will stay during the World Cup, workers who were evicted from their homes told Reuters.

They said more than a dozen buildings had been evacuated and shut down by authorities, forcing the mainly Asian and African workers to seek what shelter they could - including bedding down on the pavement outside one of their former homes.

The move comes less than four weeks before the Nov. 20 start of the global soccer tournament which has drawn intense international scrutiny of Qatar's treatment of foreign workers and its restrictive social laws.

At one building which residents said housed 1,200 people in Doha's Al Mansoura district, authorities told people at about 8 pm on Wednesday they had just two hours to leave.

Municipal officials returned around 10.30 pm, forced everyone out and locked the doors to the building, they said. Some men had not been able to return in time to collect their belongings.

"We don't have anywhere to go," one man told Reuters the next day as he prepared to sleep out for a second night with around 10 other men, some of them shirtless in the autumn heat and humidity of the Gulf Arab state.

He, and most other workers who spoke to Reuters, declined to give their names or personal details for fear of reprisals from the authorities or employers.

Nearby, five men were loading a mattress and a small fridge into the back of a pickup truck. They said they had found a room in Sumaysimah, about 40 km (25 miles) north of Doha.

A Qatari government official said the evictions are unrelated to the World Cup and were designed "in line with ongoing comprehensive and long-term plans to re-organise areas of Doha."

"All have since been rehoused in safe and appropriate accommodation," the official said, adding that requests to vacate "would have been conducted with proper notice."

World soccer's governing body FIFA did not respond to a request for comment and Qatar's World Cup organisers directed inquiries to the government.

"Deliberate ghetto-isation"

Around 85% of Qatar's three million population are foreign workers. Many of those evicted work as drivers, day labourers or have contracts with companies but are responsible for their own accommodation - unlike those working for major construction firms who live in camps housing tens of thousands of people.

One worker said the evictions targeted single men, while foreign workers with families were unaffected.

A Reuters reporter saw more than a dozen buildings where residents said people had been evicted. Some buildings had their electricity switched off.

Most were in neighbourhoods where the government has rented buildings for World Cup fan accommodation. The organisers' website lists buildings in Al Mansoura and other districts where flats are advertised for between $240 and $426 per night.

The Qatari official said municipal authorities have been enforcing a 2010 Qatari law which prohibits "workers' camps within family residential areas" - a designation encompassing most of central Doha - and gives them the power to move people out.

Some of the evicted workers said they hoped to find places to live amid purpose-built workers' accommodation in and around the industrial zone on Doha's southwestern outskirts or in outlying cities, a long commute from their jobs.

The evictions "keep Qatar's glitzy and wealthy facade in place without publicly acknowledging the cheap labour that makes it possible," said Vani Saraswathi, Director of Projects at Migrant-Rights.org, which campaigns for foreign workers in the Middle East.

"This is deliberate ghetto-isation at the best of times. But evictions with barely any notice are inhumane beyond comprehension."

Some workers said they had experienced serial evictions.

One said he was forced to change buildings in Al Mansoura at the end of September, only to be moved on 11 days later with no prior notice, along with some 400 others. "In one minute, we had to move," he said.

Mohammed, a driver from Bangladesh, said he had lived in the same neighbourhood for 14 years until Wednesday, when the municipality told him he had 48 hours to leave the villa he shared with 38 other people.

He said labourers who built up the infrastructure for Qatar to host the World Cup were being pushed aside as the tournament approaches.

"Who made the stadiums? Who made the roads? Who made everything? Bengalis, Pakistanis. People like us. Now they are making us all go outside." 

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News Network
November 3,2024

Mangaluru, Nov 3: Mangaluru police have apprehended two individuals connected to a major online purchasing scam, seizing assets worth ₹11.45 lakh. The suspects, Raj Kumar Meena (23) and Subhash Gurjar (27), hail from Rajasthan and are accused of fraudulently acquiring high-value electronics through deceptive orders.

Background of the Case

According to City Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal, the case began with a fraudulent order placed through an international e-commerce company. Using a false identity under the name "Amrith," the suspects ordered two high-end Sony cameras along with ten other items, directing the delivery to an address near the KSRTC bus stand in Mangaluru on September 21 at 4 p.m.

The Scam Unfolds

During delivery, Raj Kumar Meena received the items by providing a delivery OTP, while Subhash Gurjar reportedly distracted the delivery personnel. The suspects then executed a sticker-swapping tactic, replacing original Sony camera box labels with stickers from other items in the order to mislead the delivery team. Meena also intentionally provided an incorrect OTP, causing further confusion. The duo told the delivery agent they would collect the cameras the next day, then sent him away before cancelling the camera order.

Detection and Arrest

The unusual activity raised suspicions, and upon inspection, Amazon’s delivery partner, Mahindra Logistics, discovered the sticker swap and alerted Amazon. Subsequent investigations revealed that the suspects had taken the genuine cameras and left behind tampered boxes.

Upon deeper investigation, CCTV footage and other tracking methods led the police to identify and pursue the suspects as they attempted to flee the city. Meena was initially detained by the Salem police on October 4 for a similar scam and subsequently transferred to Urwa police custody in Mangaluru. Following his 13-day custody beginning on October 18, which included a thorough probe in both Mangaluru and Jaipur, Subhash Gurjar was apprehended on October 21.

Broader Criminal Network

The arrested individuals are allegedly part of a larger network, with involvement in at least 12 other high-profile cases. Their targets included high-end cameras, iPhones, and laptops, each costing over ₹10 lakh, with cases registered across states like Assam, Odisha, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.

The seized assets, valued at ₹11.45 lakh, have been presented to the court as evidence, and investigations continue as authorities seek to dismantle this organized fraud operation.

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News Network
October 31,2024

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday alleged that BJP was raking up the "Waqf issue" with an eye on the upcoming assembly by-polls in the state and elections in neighboring Maharashtra.

Following allegations by a section of farmers in certain parts of the state that their lands were marked as Waqf properties, he reiterated that none of them will be evicted, and notices issued to them will be withdrawn.

"BJP is doing politics. Notices were issued during their (BJP) tenure too, what do they have to say about it? During BJP's tenure over 200 notices were given. One should not practice such dual politics," Siddaramaiah said.

Speaking to reporters here, the CM said, "I have already said that the notices will be withdrawn, where is the issue? In case the notices are issued they will be withdrawn and no one will be evicted, where is the issue?" "Whichever district it is...They (BJP) had also given notices in several districts. Why did they give? Why are they doing such politics? In case notices were served by our government, they will be withdrawn and no farmers will not be evicted....the protest they have planned on November 4 is for politics keeping in mind by-polls in three segments and Maharashtra elections," he added.

A section of farmers from Vijayapura district have alleged that their lands were marked as Waqf properties, and similar allegations have surfaced from a few other places.

The BJP is planning a statewide agitation on November 4, demanding the resignation of Minority Welfare and Waqf Minister B Z Zameer Ahamed Khan, and against the Congress government over the issue.

Accusing the BJP of only doing politics and and not speaking the truth, Siddaramaiah said, "they only speak lies, they make issue out of non issue. Is there any issue in MUDA (site allotment case, in which he is accused and facing probe)? They wanted to make a non issue, an issue." Channapatna, Shiggaon and Sandur Assembly segments will go for by-polls on November 13.

The CM said he will go for campaigning in three assembly segments that will go for bypolls, from November 4 to 11.

He expressed confidence about Congress winning all the three segments.

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News Network
November 5,2024

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Bengaluru: In a major legal twist, an FIR has been filed against Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy, and their close associate Suresh Babu. The trio is accused of threatening a senior IPS officer and making false allegations against him. The FIR, registered by the Sanjaynagar police, follows a complaint by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) M. Chandrasekhar, who heads the Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the Karnataka Lokayukta.

Allegations Against Kumaraswamy
The crux of the case revolves around ADGP Chandrasekhar's investigation into Kumaraswamy's alleged illegal approval of a mining lease to Sri Sai Venkateshwara Minerals (SSVM). Kumaraswamy, currently serving as Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries, has been accused of bypassing legal procedures in favor of SSVM, prompting Chandrasekhar to seek the Karnataka Governor's approval to pursue legal action.

In response, Chandrasekhar claims that Kumaraswamy lashed out publicly. On September 28 and 29, the former Karnataka Chief Minister held press conferences, accusing the officer of bribery, misuse of medical records, and personal misconduct. According to the ADGP, Kumaraswamy also issued a threat of transferring him to another cadre outside Karnataka.

Nikhil and Aide Suresh Babu Involved
Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil Kumaraswamy is also implicated in the controversy. On September 29, Nikhil allegedly echoed his father’s accusations against Chandrasekhar. The third individual named in the FIR, Suresh Babu, a close aide to Kumaraswamy, is accused of escalating the issue by writing a letter to the Karnataka Chief Secretary. This letter, containing further allegations, was made public on social media, adding to the pressure on the senior officer.

Legal Action and Charges
Though Chandrasekhar's complaint was filed in October, formal legal proceedings began on November 4 after securing approval from the 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM). The charges include Section 224 (threat of injury to a public servant) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). A police source familiar with the case confirmed the charges.

ADGP Chandrasekhar's Response
In a strong rebuttal, ADGP Chandrasekhar addressed his team and the media, branding Kumaraswamy as an accused person trying to intimidate the SIT. He emphasized that these attacks were intended to undermine his officers' morale and interfere with the investigation.

“An accused, no matter how powerful, remains an accused. This attempt to instill fear in the minds of officers is meant to hinder justice," Chandrasekhar said in a written statement. Referring to Kumaraswamy, he added, "This accused, who is currently out on bail, has resorted to such tactics to shake our resolve."

Quoting Shaw to Drive the Point Home
In a dramatic conclusion, Chandrasekhar cited playwright George Bernard Shaw, saying, “Never wrestle with pigs. You both get dirty, and the pig likes it,” signaling his intent to remain unshaken in the face of public accusations and personal threats.

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