India's Supreme Court Gives Disputed Holy Site to Hindus
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RABIA ALAWWAL 13, 1441 AH SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2019 28 Pages Max 31º Min 16º 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 17980 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net Municipality allows camping Bloomberg files papers paving Iraq forces clear protest sites as Chelsea up to second as 2 on Kuwait Bay’s eastern bank 8 way for US presidential bid 24 leaders reach deal to end rallies 28 Tottenham falter again India’s supreme court gives disputed holy site to Hindus Hundreds of Indian Sikhs make historic pilgrimage to Pakistan NEW DELHI/AYODHYA/KARTARPUR: India’s Supreme Court yesterday awarded a bitterly contested religious site to Hindus, dealing a defeat to Muslims who also claim the land that has sparked some of the country’s bloodiest riots since independence. The ruling in the dispute between Hindu and Muslim groups paves the way for the construction of a Hindu temple on the site in the northern town of Ayodhya, a proposal long supported by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Hindu-nationalist party. Yesterday’s judgment, which is likely to be viewed as a win for Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its backers, was criticized as unfair by a lawyer for the Muslim group involved in the case. However, the group’s leader said ultimately it would accept the ver- dict and called for peace between India’s majority Hindus and Muslims, who constitute 14 percent of its 1.3 billion people. In 1992, a Hindu mob destroyed the 16th-century Babri Mosque on the site, triggering riots in which about 2,000 people, most of them Muslims, were killed across the country. Court battles over the ownership of the site followed. Jubilant Hindus, who have long cam- paigned for a temple to be built on the ruins of the AHMEDABAD, India: Supporters of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) militant KARTARPUR, Pakistan: Sikh pilgrims stand in a queue to visit the Shrine of Baba mosque, cheered and set off fire crackers in celebration organization celebrate the Indian Supreme Court’s verdict to award the disputed Guru Nanak Dev at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib near the Indian border yesterday. — AFP Continued on Page 24 religious site in Ayodhya to Hindus yesterday. — AFP 2 Local Sunday, November 10, 2019 Escalation of Kuwaitis’ demonstrations could leave the government vulnerable Causes, possible impact of protests against alleged rampant corruption KUWAIT: A demonstration held outside the Kuwaiti rich Gulf states. The government-appointed Anti- parliament over alleged rampant corruption was remi- Corruption Authority said last year it received 196 niscent of past crises that have marred political life in complaints regarding corruption cases but referred the oil-rich Gulf state. The gathering on Wednesday only 34 of them for investigation. night by hundreds of protesters, the first of its kind in the emirate for several months, comes at a time of mass What’s next? demonstrations against graft in Lebanon and Iraq. Given the current mood across the region, commen- Kuwait is the only member of the six-nation Gulf tators are watching to see if the Kuwait demonstrations Cooperation Council (GCC) to have witnessed such escalate, and if so whether the government will be vul- anti-government protests. Here is a look at the causes nerable. At Wednesday’s protest, unlike previous and possible impact. demonstrations, no political organizations were invited and no speeches made, making its impact difficult to Why are Kuwaitis angry? assess. Kuwait witnessed large-scale demonstrations in At the opening ceremony of the newly-elected par- late 2011, coinciding with the Arab Spring uprisings. liament last week, pro-government speaker Marzouq Those rallies, led by opposition groups and lawmakers, Al-Ghanem lashed out at what he said was gross exag- were also focused on combatting corruption and press- geration of the extent of corruption in Kuwait. He said ing for political and constitutional reforms. The protests there were attempts to show Kuwait as if it were “the forced then prime minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad capital of the corruption world and that all Kuwaitis are Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah to step down. His Highness the involved in corruption.” Amir issued a decree to dissolve parliament and call for The provocative statement angered citizens and early polls. If the latest protests continue, “the govern- triggered the protest, said political analyst Ibrahim ment of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Dashti. “Citizens feel that corruption is widespread Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah will resign and snap polls will be KUWAIT: Kuwaiti demonstrators take part in a demonstration against alleged corruption in Kuwait City on November 6, everywhere. We are one of the world’s richest countries held,” said Dashti. 2019. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat but still have no good roads; (public) education and health services have deteriorated,” Dashti said. Are protests allowed? Kuwait ranks 78th on the 2018 Corruption Kuwaitis are allowed to hold peaceful protests as neighbors, Kuwait has a vibrant political life and an 50-seat parliament also has powers to hold ministers to Perceptions Index compiled by Transparency part of their constitutional rights, on condition they elected parliament. It became the first Gulf state to account in Kuwait, whose citizens make up about 30 International-the worst performance of any of the oil- obtain a permit from the authorities. Unlike its Gulf have a constitution and elected chamber in 1962. The percent of the 4.7-million population. —AFP local spotlight News in brief Government Kuwait conducts household income survey expenditure KUWAIT: Kuwait’s census bureau is currently con- ducting a nationwide survey to determine the coun- try’s median household income and expenditure for the years 2019-2020, the national data provider said yesterday. The aim of such endeavor is to get a By Muna Al-Fuzai clearer picture of the living conditions in Kuwaiti households, according to the Central Statistical Bureau’s assistant undersecretary Munia Al- Qabandi. In a statement, she urged citizens and resi- [email protected] dents alike to be cooperative with census takers through providing them with the most accurate information possible. As per Kuwaiti law, households are obligated to provide the census bureau with here are undoubtedly several important issues tured several activities bringing the participants together personal income data, added the official. — KUNA before the National Assembly such as the VIVA successfully to learn more about the latest and most advanced design Tbedoons’ law, new cities and others, but I as a tricks and methods of the Photoshop software that could Kuwaiti citizen hope the parliament looks at the issue be applied on creative concepts nowadays. Moreover, they of government spending among its agenda. This topic concludes advanced have been assigned by the instructors Abdulaziz Al- is very important for Kuwait’s interests and interna- Duwaisan ‘bonmr’ and Abdullah Hamadah, to create digital Live ammunition exercise tional reputation, so a joint national project between artworks throughout the course, bringing out their own Photoshop course personal views and artistic touches and expressions. the government and the Assembly should be launched KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Coast Guard will conduct a drill to control public expenditure within a specified peri- All participants were awarded certificates from VIVA KUWAIT: VIVA, a world-class digital leader providing in recognition of successfully completing the three-day using live ammunition in the country’s territorial od of time. waters tomorrow and Tuesday, the Interior Ministry The basis of this project is to ensure new projects innovative services and platforms to customers and design course. Those who were nominated as ‘Best said yesterday. The exercise is scheduled to take are not launched unless they have a guaranteed return, enabling the digital transformation in Kuwait, and a sub- Designers’ were given prizes as a token of appreciation. sidiary of STC Group, has successfully concluded the place between 8:00 am and 3:00 pm near the islands and reduce spending on other non-priority areas with This advanced course falls in line with the corporate ‘Advanced Photoshop’ course for entrepreneurs held at of Qarouh and Umm Al-Maradim, read a ministry administrative and parliamentary supervision over social responsibility agenda at VIVA which strives to VIVA’s headquarter building for three consecutive days support various initiatives in the health, education, sports, press release. It advised sea-goers to steer clear off spending. I think, for example, that building new cities from 4 to 6 November 2019, embracing the environment and entrepreneurship arenas, all in benefit the identified locations during the drill. — KUNA without services for the population is not as important #because_we_care theme. The educational course fea- of our society. as new roads and repairing damaged streets. Reports have been spreading for days about the possibility of rain, and although rain is liked by people, what people remember is that last year, rains inundated ment agencies, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Al-Baghli’s case parts of Kuwait and roads were lined with submerged State for Cabinet Affairs Anas Al-Saleh said after the cars, raising concern. These matters may seem small, Kuwait’s PM directs meeting. They were also briefed on the implementation of BUCHAREST: Local authorities are keen on follow- but are a major issue for the public. I think it is better to the recommendations of the parliamentary committee of ing up Kuwaiti businessman Mohammad Al-Baghli’s criticize the government for the delay in the completion raising efficiency budgets and final account, Saleh added. The meeting was disappearance case, President of the Romanian of projects than to lose those projects in full because of held in light of the government’s attention to improve its Senate Teodor Melescanu reaffirmed on Friday.