Indian woman wins over USD 3 mn in UAE raffle, says would use it for charity
Dubai: An Indian woman has won a whopping USD 3.2 million in the monthly raffle draw in the UAE and said that she wants to use a part of the money for underprivileged people, especially women, according to media reports on Friday.
Sopna Nair, who won Dh12 million in the Big Ticket Abu Dhabi raffle on Wednesday, said she also wishes to support her and her husband's family with the money.
"I want to support underprivileged people, especially women. I've always done small charitable projects in whatever way I could, now I have the financial freedom to do a lot more," she was quoted as saying by the Khaleej Times.
Nair, who hails from Kerala, said that she and her family are still in a state of shock after hearing the news. I am still coming to terms with the news, its a lot to take in, Nair, who is based in Abu Dhabi for the last 9 years, told the Gulf News.
Nair said that her husband, who also hails from Kerala, was unaware that she had bought the ticket for the draw.
"I don't buy the ticket every time. This might have been the third or fourth time I got it. Honestly, we are still in shock because no one really assumes that they will win while buying it," she said.
"This time, I didn't tell my husband. And when we found out that we'd won, he was in shock as well," she added.
Nair, who has a five-year-old daughter, said that she will continue her job as a senior structural engineer in an Abu Dhabi firm after this development.
"This is the eighth year in this company, and I have such a big commitment to the firm. I really haven't had the time to process the news. My company has helped me immensely and I'm extremely indebted to them," Nair said.
"I've been so busy the whole day. I've been inundated with calls and messages, but I've not been able to speak to anyone because I've been so focused on work," she added.
The raffle draw is held at the Abu Dhabi International Airport every month. It is the UAE's largest and longest running raffle draw. The monthly event has become hugely popular due to its high winning returns, with participants including both residents and those living outside.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee moves SC against SIR
New Delhi (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in the state, sources said on Sunday.
The petition names the Election Commission (EC) and the chief electoral officer of West Bengal as respondents. It was filed before the apex court on January 28, the sources said.
Banerjee arrived in Delhi on Sunday. She is scheduled to meet Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar at 4 pm on Monday to discuss the ongoing SIR exercise in West Bengal. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo would be accompanied by a delegation of party leaders.
She is also likely to meet party MPs in the Parliament House on Monday.
Talking to reporters at the Kolkata airport before leaving for the national capital, Banerjee claimed that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre is resorting to the SIR exercise because it is certain of its imminent defeat in the West Bengal Assembly polls, due in a few months, and said the saffron party should contest the election politically and democratically.
The West Bengal chief minister has written several letters to the CEC, raising concerns over the conduct of the exercise.
In her most recent letter to the CEC on January 31, she alleged that the methodology and approach of the exercise went beyond the provisions of the Representation of the People Act and the relevant rules, causing "immense inconvenience and agony" to citizens.
Earlier, TMC leaders, including Rajya Sabha MPs Derek O'Brien and Dola Sen, had moved the apex court, challenging certain aspects of how the SIR is being carried out in West Bengal.
