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ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER 17 May 2014 18 Rajab 1435 - Volume 19 Number 6068 Price: QR2 ON SATURDAY Confident Al Sadd eye Emir Cup glory DOHA: Al Sadd, buoyed by their qualifica- tion for the quarter-finals stage of the AFC Champions League, will be eyeing their first silverware of the 2013-14 season as they take on minnows Al Sailiya in the final of the Emir Cup at the Khalifa International Stadium today. Doha giants Al Sadd qualified for the last eight stage of the AFC Champions League on away goals after a thrilling 2-2 draw with Iranian champions Foolad Khouzestan three days ago. For Al Sailiya this is their first Emir Cup final, and this fact will motivate the play- ers, coach Sami Trabelsi said. See also page 20 Little progress in Iran nuclear talks VIENNA: Iran and world powers warned yesterday they were a long way from reach- ing a comprehensive and potentially historic nuclear deal by a July 20 deadline following tough talks in Vienna. In the fourth round of talks between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, it was clear after three days of intense negotiations that nothing had been put to paper yet. “The gaps were too large to begin drafting the text of an accord,” Iran’s chief negotiator Abbas Araqchi told state television. A US official said the Vienna talks would resume at an unspecified date in June. See also page 5 Turkish police fire tear INDIA: gas in mining town SOMA: Riot police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse several thousand pro- testers yesterday in a Turkish mining town still grieving the death of some 300 workers in the nation’s worst ever industrial disaster. A crowd had been trying to march towards a statue in the town centre honouring min- FEAR OF MODI ers when police blocked the route and sprayed from armoured trucks. The confirmed death toll in the disaster THE ISSUE reached 292 as Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said eight more bodies were found in the mine last evening. Some 10 more people were The Arabic media has given wide represents the most extreme faction, and organised by his family and lives alone in his believed still trapped and unlikely to be alive. coverage to the Indian elections, sometimes many of his own party colleagues house in Gujarat (the western Indian state of See also page 7 the results of which were distrust him. which he is the chief minister). “Modi, who regularly practices yoga, is a He has birds at home, for he spent a Call to free prisoners of announced yesterday. vegetarian and embraced the Hindu nation- number of years in the Himalayas exploring alist ideology when he was young,” wrote nature and doing meditation before entering conscience in GCC Aljazeera.net. politics. t has generally been critical of the land- He joined the RSS, a voluntary Hindu Talking of Modi’s controversial past, the KUWAIT CITY: A Gulf rights group has slide win for the Bharatiya Janata Party nationalist organisation which believes in a portal recalls the communal riots that took called for the release of thousands of pris- (BJP) and its prime ministerial candi- semi-military approach. “The organisation place in Gujarat in 2002. “A thousand people oners of conscience in the Gulf states as it Idate, Narendra Modi. is a staunch champion of Hindu culture and were killed in these riots and most of them marked what it called Gulf Detainees Day The victory has generated fear among civilisation and its leaders adopt a confronta- were Muslims. Modi’s administration didn’t to highlight their plight. minorities in India, particularly Muslims, tionist attitude towards Muslims, who are in do anything to stop the violence and he also “We call for the release of prisoners and and there is a possibility Hindu rightists may a minority in India.” didn’t apologise.” detainees who have been put behind bars for try to curb free expression, the Arabic media In 1992, they destroyed a mosque in Aljazeera.net also talked of what Modi said simply expressing their opinion,” Anwar Al has said. Ayodhya, said Aljazeera.net, wrongly adding in July last year about Muslims who died in Rasheed, head of the Gulf Forum for Civil Qatar-based Aljazeera.net said in a report that they had built a Hindu temple on the site. the riots, comparing them to rats. “The only Societies, said on Thursday night. last night that Modi’s victory had created fear During his election campaign, Modi was credit he has to his name is that he has led Rasheed said there are “between 30,000 and among minorities, especially Muslims. critical of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty and Gujarat to some economic success.” 40,000 opinion prisoners and detainees,” in the The portal said the 63-year-old son of a tea promised that he would fight corruption if Another Arabic news portal, akhbarak.net/ Gulf Cooperation Council states. stall owner had managed to project himself voted to power. news, said that the election results in India He said the numbers are based on data com- as a strong leader and one who could move An able orator, Modi doesn’t speak English reflected people’s anger with the Congress piled by Gulf rights activists, international the economy forward, notwithstanding the because he thinks it is the language of the elite and its ineffective leadership and corruption. organisations and rights groups. fact that he is from a Hindu nationalist party in New Delhi. “Modi wasn’t the best choice of the electorate,” Rasheed said his group has arranged with a which is a controversial outfit. Talking of his personal life, Aljazeera.net said the news portal. number of lawyers from Europe and the United Within the outfit (the BJP) itself, Modi said that he didn’t accept arranged marriage Continued on page 2 States to form a legal team to visit prisons in Gulf states when governments allow it. AGENCIES www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 MAY 17, 2014 ON SATURDAY 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Home Indian poll verdict causes unease Some fear minorities will suffer discrimination under the BJP while others expect development DOHA: The Hindu right-wing “We hope that the new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)- government will work with an led National Democratic inclusive approach and focus Alliance’s landslide victory on the progress of minorities in India’s general election in India. In his speech given has triggered concern among yesterday, Narendra Modi said members of India’s religious that he will work for the progress minorities in Qatar. of all Indians, which is a positive The Indian expatriates, most sign. We hope that the majority of whom are Muslims, fear that for NDA will augur well for India minority communities may as there will be a government suffer discrimination under the P N Baburajan Martin XavierMohamed Habibun Nabee M S Bukhari which can take solid decisions,” new government. he added. “Safety is a major concern Minorities fear that a There is a There are positive Expatriates are “Muslims have so far not been among members of the minority able to digest this victory. Full communities. Minorities fear BJP-led government fear that the and liberal disappointed that majority to BJP may make the that a BJP-led government may take decisions government will leaders in the the BJP has ignored party go against minorities. Had may take decisions against against them because initially not do party and they Non-Resident Indians it not got full majority there them because they will not need they will not need anything against should be given (NRIs) in its manifesto. would have been some checks and approval from any other party balances on BJP in policymaking,” because of their majority. approval from any other minorities, but key positions in NRIs are playing a said Mohamed Habibun Nabee, “There is a fear that the party because of their later may resort the party and the crucial role in India’s president of the Aligarh Muslim government will initially not do majority. to something. government. development. University Alumni Association. anything against minorities, but “However, we should respect the later may resort to something,” outcome of the election. The good said Martin Xavier, managing The BJP crossed the 272 mark from the minds of minority Due to the emphatic win, this Hindu-Muslim relations,” said thing is that Narendra Modi, in director of Continental Cooling comfortably on its own, without community members,” said P is expected to be the strongest Siddiq. “Today’s challenge his speech, has said that he would Company. allies, winning 283 seats. N Baburajan. government at the centre since before the government is of take all Indians together,” he “The other concern among This is the biggest victory for Expatriates believe that Rajiv Gandhi’s regime. an economic nature. Narendra said. minorities is that they may one party since the 1984 election the election results show that Dr Abdul Muttalib Siddiq, Modi’s promises before election M S Bukhari, who is in the not get their due share in that Rajiv Gandhi won with voters were fed up with weak Managing Editor of Al Sharq were to fight corruption and construction business, said that development because all the 414 Lok Sabha (lower house of governance and wanted change. Arabic newspaper, said the ensure economic development,” he hoped the BJP was able to developmental policy will be parliament) seats.