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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News Network
February 26,2020

Udupi, Feb 26: Thirty senior folk artistes, one from each district across the state, and two folk experts will be presented the ''Karnataka Janapada Academy'' Awards for 2019-20.

Announcing the names of the award winners here on Wednesday, Academy Chairperson Manjamma Jogathi said that while the artistes will get a purse of Rs 25,000 and a citation, the folk experts will be awarded Rs 50,000 and a citation.

The awardees are M Gowramma (Folk singing – Bengaluru Urban), Lakshamma (Bengaluru Rural – Bhajan), Ankanahalli Shivanna (Ramnagaram –Pooja Kunitha), Angadi Venkatesheppa (Kolar-Tatvapada), Rangaiah (Thumkuru-Folk Singing), P G Parameshwarappa (Davangere-Veeragase), Tippanna (Chitradurga – Goravara Kunita), Munireddy (Chikkaballapura-Folk Song), G C Manjappa (Shivamogga – Dollu Kunitha), Mada Shetty (Mysore – Kamsale Kunita), Swami Gowda (Beesuva Padagalu – Mandya), Gowramma (Chamarajnagar –Sobane Pada), J K Ramu (Kodagu-Kodavara Kunitha), Kapini Gowda (Hassan – Kolata), Dr H C Eshwarnayaka (Chikkamagalur-Nati Vaidhya), Sadhu Panara (Udupi-Bhootha Kola), Rukmaiah Gowda (Dakshina Kannada – Siddavesha), Sankamma (Belagavi –Sampradaya Pada), Rukmini Mallappa Haranala (Bagalkote-Wedding folk Song), Mallaiah Rachaiah Thotagunte (Dharawad-Folk Song), Hanumanthappa Dharwad (Haveri –Bhajane Kolata), Nagaraj Jakkammanavar (Gadag – Gigi Pada), Nimbevva Kenchappa Gubbi (Vijayapura-Sobane Pada), Hussainabi Budensaab Siddi (Uttarkannada-Siddi Damami Dance), Gangadara Swami Aggi Mata (Kalburgi – Puruvanthike), Tulasi Rama Bhimarao Suthara (Bidar-Folk Song), Shanthavva Ganda Lachamappa Lamani (Koppal – Lamani Dance), Soogappa Nagappa (Raichur – Tatvapada), Veshagara Mothi Ramanna (Ballari-Hagalu Vesha), Shivamoorthy Thanikedara (Yadagir – Gigi Pada).

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News Network
March 20,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 20: The high court on Thursday directed the government to notify on its official website the penal provisions to be enforced against private schools violating norms relating to fees and safety of students, among other things. A division bench of chief justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka granted six weeks to the authorities to comply while disposing of a PIL filed by advocate NP Amrutesh.

Earlier, the state government submitted a memo stating that necessary amendments have been brought to Karnataka Education Act in 2017. It said any breach of students' safety entails a minimum jail term of six months and Rs 1 lakh fine for a convicted employee or member of the management. Any institution found guilty by the District Education Regulatory Authority will face disaffiliation and must pay a fine of Rs 10 lakh, the memo said.

Schools collecting donations and other fees beyond what is prescribed can be fined up to Rs 10 lakh and they must refund the excess fee.

In relation to schools charging for applications and brochures, the state capped their prices at Rs 5 and Rs 20 respectively, by issuing a gazzette notification last year.

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News Network
February 17,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 17: A combative ruling BJP is bracing to face the onslaught of the opposition Congress and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) in the year's first legislature session beginning on Monday.

"We are ready to counter the opposition parties on any issue they want to raise or discuss, keeping in view the spirit of fairness in a democratic set-up, as we have the numbers to provide a stable government," party's state unit spokesman G. Madhusudhana told news agency here.

Ahead of the 3-day session, the BJP's legislature party met here under the leadership of Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to chalk out its strategy to address issues, move bills and present the state budget for fiscal 2020-21.

"We hope the Congress and JD-S members will allow Governor Vajubhai Vala to address the joint session of the legislature on Monday and not disrupt his speech or walkout of the House before he concludes to maintain the dignity of his office," Madhusudhana said after the BJP meeting at a private hotel over dinner.

The legislature will resume the month-long budget session on March 2 with a special discussion for two days on the Constitution, markings the 70th year of its adoption and enforcement.

About 100 legislators, including the three Deputy Chief Ministers, the newly sworn-in cabinet ministers, council members and party's state unit members participated in the 2-hour long meeting.

"Yediyurappa, who also holds the Finance portfolio, will present the state budget for fiscal 2020-21 on March 5, which will be the fifth time as the fourth Chief Minister in over a decade," the official said.

Both the Houses will deliberate on the budget proposals and pass it by March 31.

In the 225-member Assembly, including one nominated, the ruling BJP has 117, opposition Congress 68, Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) 34, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) one, Independents 2 and vacant 2.

Buoyed up by winning 12 of the 15 seats in the December 5 assembly by-elections, the party is confident of passing the finance and other bills, as it has the support of 119 members, including 2 Independents in the lower House.

"There is no threat to our government, which will complete the remaining 3-year term of the Assembly till May 2023. Yediyurappa has already won the majority test on July 29, 2019, three days after he took office for the fourth time," Madhusudhana said.

The Congress, however, asserted that it would raise the alleged misuse of police against the opposition members, anti-CAA protestors and minorities.

"We will question the morality of the government in making a tainted legislator like Anand Singh a forest minister when a dozen illegal mining cases are pending in the courts," a Congress official told news agency.

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