Homeless Indian Laborer Attacked, Set Alight In Italy

Rome, 3 Feb. (AKI) - The homeless Indian labourer who was attacked and set alight by youths in an Italian coastal town south of Rome at the weekend was still in a critical condition on Tuesday, but spoke a few words from his hospital bed.From his hospital bed in Rome, Navetej Sing Sidhu said he was glad that three people had been arrested over the savage attack against him on Sunday in the town of Nettuno that left him with 40 percent burns to his body and a fractured skull.Police arrested three local youths aged between 17 and 30 on suspicion of Sidhu's attempted murder for hitting him over the head with a bottle and kicking and punching him before spraying metallic paint in his face, dousing him with petrol and setting him alight.Staff from the Indian Embassy visited Sidhu in hospital where he remains in intensive care. His face was reportedly completely bloated and unrecognisable after the attack.The young men, who were not named in reports, have confessed to a drink and drug fuelled attack but denied it was racially motivated.Unless there are complications in his condition, Sidhu is expected to undergo several plastic surgery operations.The attack has alarmed immigrants, charities and politicians. It occurred at around 4 am on Sunday when the station was unguarded and deserted. The only people who usually sleep there are immigrants.One Indian migrant who has run a successful travel agency in Milan for more than 30 years, told Adnkronos International (AKI) on condition of anonymity that there was an unacceptable racial prejudice against Indians in Italy."This is undeniable," he told AKI. "I have seen nothing of this nature in Spain or Germany."The notion of discrimination is based on a socio-economic concept. It is the poorer people who bear the brunt of discrimination."The migrant, originally from New Delhi, runs an agency that has sent more than 180,000 Italians to India. He said many Indians in Italy were shocked by the weekend crime.The Indian embassy has urged a thorough investigation of the attack against Sidhu who worked as an illegal immigrant labourer in Italy for five years before losing his job four months ago.None of Sidhu's various employers have ever made him legal, leaving him in an extremely vulnerable situation. There are around 2,000 Indian immigrants living in Nettuno and between 25,000 and 30,000 living in the province of Rome.Rome's mayor Gianni Alemanno visited Sidhu in hospital and the province of Rome has offered to pay for the victim's family to come from India to see him. He has no relatives in the country.Indian immigrants in Italy not an articulate group. The overwhelming majority are manual workers with little education, working as agricultural and domestic workers.Italy, unlike countries such as the United States, Canada and Great Britain has not adopted immigration policies enabling professional Indians such as doctors and engineers to work here by recognising their qualifications.

TMMK and MIP to be part of Grand National alliance of AUDF

By Najam Gilani,
Political movement launched by United Democratic Front President Badruddin Ajmal got major boost with Muslim groups in different states agreeing to join the UDF.
On Monday, in Press Club of India, New Delhi, Chief of Assam United Democratic Front Badruddin Ajmal announced the formation of a national political party which will field candidates in at least six states for the forth coming parliamentary elections.
AUDF Chief appealed to all secular parties to join UDF which will be representing Muslims, backward classes and poor sections of the society.
Siddiqullah Chowdhuri of Milli Ittehad Parishad of West Bengal talking to TwoCircles.net said; he shares a great relationship with Mr Badruddin Ajmal, he was present there in New Delhi on the announcement of the formation of National Political Party.
Mr Jawahirullh,President of Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) also welcomed the announcement of the formation of the new national political party.
Talking to twocircles.net AUDF working president Hafiz Rashid said: as of now we could not announced the name of the national political party because as per the rule of election commission it can't get registered just before the elections. Therefore in different states it will have different name with the tag of UDF. Decision on modalities of it will be taken by its All India Political Affairs Committee to be held on 17th February in New Delhi in which Milli Ittehad Parishad of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazgham is expected to participate.

Badruddin Ajmal launches national political party

By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: The Assam United Democratic Front (AUDF) led by Maulana Badruddin Ajmal, president of Assam Jamiat Ulema-I-Hind, today announced the formation of a national political party which will field candidates in the coming Lok Sabha elections in at least six states.
Announcing the launch of the party at Press Club of India in New Delhi today, perfume baron and AUDF leader Maulana Badruddin Ajmal said the party will field candidates in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Maharashtra besides Assam. Very soon the party will form a political affairs committee which will decide about the seats.
“I appeal to all secular parties to join UDF which will be representing Muslims, backward classes and poor sections of the society,” said Maulana Ajmal. While he said he was not much hopeful about big secular parties he will be ready to share power with UPA, NDA minus BJP and Third Front. He, however, made it clear that he will continue to oppose Congress in Assam whose policies, he said, are anti-Muslims. He said he will have no truck with BJP or any communal parties in Assam or anywhere.
On the fact that at election times several parties emerge and make big announcements, he said people should not compare AUDF with such parties. AUDF was formed in October 2005 and in the Assembly elections held three months later, it won 10 seats. “Congress has been frightening Muslims that if they did not vote for it, BJP will come to power. We opposed both Congress and BJP in Assam and won 10 seats,” he said. AUDF got 50 lakh votes, that is 18% of cast votes.
“AUDF is playing the role of opposition in Assam though it is the third largest party in the Assembly” Maulana Ajmal said and added Jamiat Ulema is with AUDF in Assam. He said recently formed AUDF-led Third Front, which comprises AUDF, CPI, CPM and NCP, will contest all 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Of them nine will be from AUDF. He said he is hopeful of winning at least five seats there. He himself will be contesting from Dhubri and Silcher.
Pointing out that his is a secular party, not a Muslim party, he said in the 2005 Assam Assembly elections AUDF had fielded 73 candidates, of which 32 were non-Muslims. Two of them won.
“We will welcome secular minded and clean people who do not get tickets in Congress or other parties,” he said adding UDF will bring in a political party whereon people will have faith.
“If we got even one seat from each state, or only one seat in the country, that will be a great achievement,” Maulana Ajmal said. He, however, did not announce the name of the national party. In different states it will have different name with the tag of UDF.
AUDF will launch Maharashtra UDF on February 28.
http://twocircles.net/2009feb02/badruddin_ajmal_launches_national_political_party.html