I will be watching you: Muslim passenger kicked off plane in US

July 21, 2016

Washington, Jul 21: In a case of apparent racist discrimination in the US, a 40-year-old Muslim man was removed from a plane after a flight attendant publicly announced his name, seat number and said she would be "watching" him.

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The matter came to light yesterday when the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) complained to transport authorities that Mohamed Ahmed Radwan was removed from the American Airlines Flight last December because of his "identifiably Arabic and Muslim name."

According to federal law, airlines are prohibited from discriminating against passengers based on religion, ancestry and national origin, among other criteria.

CAIR sent a letter to the Department of Transportation (DOT) yesterday urging an investigation and also called for a "thorough examination" into prevailing practices of major airlines, The Charlotte Observer reported.

In addition, CAIR said the DOT should develop policy guidelines on objective factors to be looked at while deciding to remove a passenger from a plane.

Radwan, a chemical engineer, said he was flying from Charlotte to Detroit on December 6, 2015, on American Airlines Flight 1821.

As he was taking his allotted seat, Radwan said, a female flight attendant loudly announced, "Mohamed Ahmed, Seat 25-A, I will be watching you."

After a minute, she repeated, "Mohamed Ahmed, that is a very long name, Seat 25-A, I will be watching you." Then a third time, according to Radwan, she said, "25-A: you will be watched."

"I was in total shock. I've been flying for over 30 years, and I've never heard something like that," he said.

The flight attendant did not make such a statement about any other passenger, Radwan said. When he asked about her statements, the attendant said she was going to monitor everyone. When asked why she singled him out, the attendant accused him of being "too sensitive" and walked away, he said.

After a couple of American Airlines employees talked to him, he was told the attendant felt "uncomfortable" and he was escorted off the flight.

"I felt too unsafe to fly with American again," he said. Radwan instead booked a much later flight, which cost him about USD 1,500 and interfered with his travel plans.

Worse than the inconvenience was the humiliation of being treated like a terrorist, Radwan said.

"I've been a US citizen for 13 years, but at that moment I felt my sense of being American taken from me," he said.

In April, a Muslim woman was removed from a Southwest Airlines plane at a Chicago airport after she had asked to switch seats as she was told she had made the flight attendant "uncomfortable".

A Muslim family of five were also escorted off a United Airlines flight in March for "how they looked".

Comments

SK
 - 
Saturday, 23 Jul 2016

The airhostess should watch her HUSBAND, as to what he is doing outside the house...... Like Naren and Bopanna..

Clear cut
 - 
Friday, 22 Jul 2016

Don't blame whole nation for mistakes of one or two sick minded people's like Bopanna and kotian. They can't think much further.

Naren kotian
 - 
Friday, 22 Jul 2016

Stinky jihadist ...they deserve it ....well done America .. Love u ....haha guys don't bark about boycotting ..except population ur community cannot produce anything ...computer which u use ..processor in it ...it is owned by Jews ...apple belongs to Americans ....facebook belongs to Jew ...100% consumer oriented products are designed by non Muslims only da ....boycott Anthe kumda ...hogappa fish market open ago time aithu ...mostly kabali style nalli ...naan jihadi da andirbeku...adakke we will watch u andavle ashte ...

Ahmed
 - 
Friday, 22 Jul 2016

dear muslim brother please avoid all american products ...

Ahmed
 - 
Friday, 22 Jul 2016

American trained by RSS .....

Rizwan
 - 
Thursday, 21 Jul 2016

In same country America the boxing legend mohammed ali was honoured , and his name was about to right along with the many legends in a place where it was written in floor. But mohammed ali told if u want to honour me you have to write the name on the wall otherwise I don't want to be honoured ,Because my name resembles the name of prophet mohammed May peace be upon him. So only his name was written on the wall all other name is on floor till today.

sam
 - 
Thursday, 21 Jul 2016

Idiots...boycott american n British airways, then they will come under your feet...now days money speaks.... don't allow any flight attendant to insult any passenger.... they r feeding their family with passengers money...so let them shut their mouth and serve the passenger. Let her watch her husband and children or father n mother where they r going in her absent.

Viren Kotian
 - 
Thursday, 21 Jul 2016

What's wrong? His name was mohammed ahmad. So she the flight staff was terrorised and did what need to be done.

Akshata Rai
 - 
Thursday, 21 Jul 2016

Racism and hatred will destroy yourself. You cannot destroy others.

Rikaz
 - 
Thursday, 21 Jul 2016

Totally shameful behavior of \Stupid American Airlines\"..."

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May 5,2020

Mangaluru, May 5: A day after lockdown was partially relaxed in Dakshina Kannada, a fresh covid-19 positive case was reported today from Boloor area of Mangaluru.

In its fresh bulletin, health and family welfare department today said that the throat swabs of a 51-year-old man from Boloor tested positive for the coronavirus.

Boloor is already declared as corona containment zone in the district after as this is the fourth coronavirus positive case reported from the area.

With this, the total number of coronavirus cases in Dakshina Kannada mounted to 25 including 19 residents of the district and six outsiders who have already left the district after getting treatment.

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News Network
April 13,2020

Bengaluru, Apr 13: Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday said the COVID-19 situation has thrown the state into a deep financial trouble and there is a need to to find ways to overcome the present crisis, as he announced certain measures aimed at resource mobalisation.

He said the state government was awaiting guidelines from the Centre regarding the implementation of lockdown during the next two weeks, and noted that discussions were on regarding relaxations on the sale of liquor and the decision will be taken after April 14.

Yediyurappa on Monday held a meeting with officials of various departments along with his cabinet colleagues and the chief secretary.

"The possible situation once the lockdown is released, was widely discussed in the meeting. Discussion was also held about the financial situation of the state government and how to mobilise resources. Many suggestions were given and it was decided to implement those suggestions," the Chief Minister said.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he said, "...the COVID-19 situation has thrown our state into deep financial trouble and there is a need to to find ways to overcome present financial crisis."

Yediyurappa said it was decided to speed up the disposal of cases related to regularisation of unauthorised constructions which are pending before the High Court and Supreme Court, during the meeting.

"If the court decides the matter, thousands of people who own unauthorised houses will be relieved," he said, adding that this will also help government in mobilising resources for fund starved development works.

He said in addition to this the government is planning to auction more than 12,000 corner sites lying idle in Bengaluru, and it was also decided to allow auction of corner and vacant sites in respective urban development authorities across the state.

"By auction of corner sites in Bengaluru, we plan to mobalise about Rs 14,000-15,000 crore. BDA is preparing for it, only if we get good market value we will sell or else no," he added.

It was also decided to amend the law governing permission to allow sites in private and co-operative housing societies, the Chief Minister further said, adding that hundreds of societies were waiting for approval from government for releasing the sites.

Yediyurappa said it was decided to use Rs 1,000 crore available in Rajiv Gandhi Health University to upgrade medical college hospitals.

It was also decided to distribute free milk to slums and poor for one more week, the Chief Minister said while appealing to sugar factory owners to clear the pending payment to the tune of Rs 2,834 crore to farmers in 11 districts.

The government has also released Rs 45 crore compensation for the loss of paddy crop in Raichur and Koppal District due to hailstorm based on report submitted by Deputy Commissioners, he added.

Responding to a question, Yediyurappa said, still no guidelines have come from the Centre on lockdown implementation for next two weeks, we are waiting for it.

Once the guidelines come it will help us to speed up the process of lockdown, and also relaxations if any.

Asked what plans does the government have if states are asked to decide on relaxation, he said, already Prime Minister has said that guidelines will be given, if they say on certain matters states can take decision, we will decide on what needs to be done to improve the state's economy.

To a question on relaxation on sale of liquor through Mysore Sales International Ltd (MSIL) outlets, he said, discussions are on, after April 14, we will take decision in this regard.

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News Network
April 19,2020

Bengaluru, Apr 19: Former Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Sunday thanked Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa for backing his family regarding his son Nikhil s wedding, which drew flak for allegedly violating lockdown norms.

Asserting that social distancing was maintained during the wedding, the JD(S) leader in a series of tweets hit out at those accusing his family of violating lockdown norms, by stating that they were doing it out of "political hate".

"Despite maintaining social distancing and following rules during Nikhil's marriage, there are discussion that norms were not followed.

Because of political hate, poisonous comments are being made about an auspicious event, but Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa by rejecting all this is standing by the truth," Kumaraswamy said in a tweet in Kannada.

He said, "heartfelt thanks to Yediyurappa for his statement that a big political family in the state has conducted the marriage ceremony in a simple way."

Nikhil, the grandson of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, entered wedlock on Friday at a Bidadi farmhouse with Revathi, the grandniece of former Congress minister M Krishnappa.

On the day of the marriage several posts on social media, also media reports had criticised the Gowda family for violating locdown norms and social distancing during the event.

Coming to the defence of Gowda family, Yediyurappa in response to a question on Saturday told reporters "They (family) had all the permissions and the event was held in a simple fashion. There's no need to discuss this.

"Despite having many relatives, they stuck to the limitations. For this, I congratulate them," he had said.

Stating that lockdown rules were followed during Nikhil's marriage, Kumaraswamy said, "By looking for politics in Nikhil's marriage, certain faulty minds on social media are spewing venom that is in their mind."

Gowda family had scaled down Nikhil's wedding, which was earlier planned in a 95-acre land near Ramanagara with a lavish set, with lakhs of party workers and well-wishers in attendance, followed by a grand reception in Bengaluru.

Nikhil has acted in couple of Kannada films in the lead role.

He had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from the party bastion of Mandya and had lost against multilingual actress Sumalatha Ambareesh, an independent candidate supported by BJP, in a bitterly contested polls.

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