Now Saudi women may drive thousands of NRI drivers out of the kingdom

coastaldigest.com news network
September 30, 2017

King Salman’s recent decree that grants driving licenses to women in Saudi Arabia may snuff out the livelihoods of tens of thousands of NRI ‘house drivers,’ including those from Karnataka and Kerala. The royal order will officially come into force from Shawwal 10, 1439, corresponding to June 24, 2018.

Even though the international media hailed the decree as a great “social reform”, for the Saudi government, this is mere a continuation of Saudization. When women are at the wheel, it means the majority of Saudi households will no longer need chauffeurs to drive women to shops, workplaces, colleges and schools.

So far women in Saudi had to depend on chauffeurs and taxi drivers. Better-off Saudi households employ permanent house drivers who take homemakers to shopping malls, girl students to universities and schools and working women to their offices. Working women spend a sizeable chunk of their salaries on chauffeurs.

‘House driver visa’ hitherto was one of the easiest and cheapest for the uneducated Gulf job aspirants in India. Though the salary was not very attractive, the main attraction of ‘house driver’ was the free board and lodging, plus, the generous tips from the employer’s household.

There are nearly 14 lakh chauffeurs and taxi drivers in Saudi Arabia. The huge majority of them are from India. At a time when hundreds of Indian workers are returning home every week in the wake of the Saudi government’s nationalisation of the labour force, the new reform will accelerate the job loss of drivers.

Another fallout of the reform is that more and more educated Saudi women will join the white-collar work force, replacing expatriate employees, executives and professionals. There is a large army of highly educated women in Saudi Arabia, where women are better educated than men. Self-driven cars would make their job entry easier. And, as the Saudi women drive into the workplace, a section of the expatriate workers will be driven out.

Comments

Mohan
 - 
Saturday, 30 Sep 2017

Read properly. It means that women get driving license and they can drive alone. Only thats it. It not about they are taking that job instead of current drivers

Yogesh
 - 
Saturday, 30 Sep 2017

LOL... Their husbands wont allow to wear modern dress, Still you people believe that because of them, THOUSANDS OF NRI DRIVERS will be jobless...! Govt allowed but will see how many are ready for this

Unknown
 - 
Saturday, 30 Sep 2017

Total rubbish. NRI's are experts. These ladies cant replace them. 

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coastaldigest.com news network
January 15,2020

Mangaluru, Dec 15: A bandh-like situation prevailed in many parts of Dakshina Kannada on Wednesday as thousands of people closed their shops and business establishments to support the ant-NRC protest at Adyar Kannur in Mangaluru.

The protest is jointly being organised by the various Muslim organisations of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi district under the leadership of Muslim Central Committee against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR) besides the “categorical mistreatment” of Muslim community at the hands of the police across the country including in Mangaluru.

In Mangaluru city, even though people woke up to a normal Wednesday, by afternoon most of the Muslim-owned shops were closed.

Muslim dominant areas of the district such have observed half-day bandh. In regions like Ullal, Thokkottu, Bantwal, BC Road, Kalladka too a majorty of the Muslim business establishments remained shut afternoon.

Also Read: 

#MangaluruAgainstNRC | Sea of protesters converge at Adyar ground to assert their identity

‘Who are you? Are you British?’ PFI leader lambasts Mangaluru top cop at anti-NRC protest

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 15,2020

Mangaluru, Jul 15: A septuagenarian from Bantwal taluk died due to coronavirus infection at a hospital in the city taking the covid-19 death toll in Dakshina Kannada to 54.

The deceased was a 73-years-old and a resident of Kasaba village in Vittal, Bantwal. Recently eight members of his family were tested positive for covid-19 including his son.

He was admitted to a hospital in Mangaluru where he was tested positive for the virus. He did not respond to the treatment and breathed his last, sources said.

The final rites were carried out by a team of trained activists of Popular Front of India (PFI) at a designated graveyard. All necessary precautions were taken by the authorities concerned and police during the funeral.

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News Network
January 26,2020

New Delhi, Jan 26: On the occasion of the 71st Republic Day, Karnataka state's tableau depicted the philosophy of Basaveshwara and the concept of Anubhava Mantapa (Centre for Experience), which was the socio-religious centre that existed in the present-day Basava Kalyana of Bidar district in Karnataka.

It is regarded as the first religious parliament in the history of mankind.

This 12th-century centre has a special significance in the history of humanity, as it represents composite culture, philosophy, spirituality, equality among other universal human values.

These values were propagated by the saint and social reformer- Basaveshwara and other sharanas- followers of Basava philosophy of the socio-religious movement.

It is significant that representatives of Anubhava Mantapa were nominated based on their spiritual attainment, regardless of caste, class and sect they belonged and thus discarded the differentiation of human beings as higher or lower, on the basis of birth, occupation and gender.

The front part of the tableau has the replica of Basaveshwara preaching his most cherished value - "Work is Worship".

For Republic Day Parade 2020, a total of 56 tableaux proposals (32 from states/UTs and 24 from Ministries/Departments) were received. Out of these, 22 were shortlisted for participation in the Republic Day Parade 2020.

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