UAE Princess slams Sudarshan TV's Suresh Chavhanke over Tweet on secularism
Says, learn from the religion of peace how to be respectful of others
Dubai: Sheikha Hend bint Faisal Al Qasimi, a princess from the royal family of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), responded strongly to a tweet by Sudarshan TV's Editor-in-chief, Suresh Chavhanke, regarding secularism. Chavhanke claimed that passengers were left waiting outside a bus in the UAE because the Muslim driver was performing prayers.
Chavhanke, known for his far-right extremist ideology, alleged that passengers had to endure the heat while the Muslim driver prayed inside an air-conditioned bus. In response, Sheikha Hend bint Faisal Al Qasimi shared a tweet from the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) that clarified the incident. According to the RTA, the bus was outside its operational hours at the time, and for safety reasons, no one is allowed to enter the bus before or after the scheduled trip.
Sheikha Hend bint Faisal Al Qasimi strongly criticized Chavhanke, emphasizing that the UAE is not a secular country and urged him to have accurate information. She supported the bus driver, stating that he was praying after work hours in a Muslim country that embraces religious tolerance. She further highlighted that the driver was not engaging in harmful actions such as evicting people from their homes or businesses, unlike certain neo-Nazis who continue to perpetrate such acts. She concluded by advising Chavhanke to learn how to respect others who do not share his religion or political beliefs, drawing from the principles of peace in her own faith.
Chavhanke has a history of making Islamophobic remarks, amounting to hate speeches, on his television channel and other public platforms. His inflammatory statements have the potential to incite disharmony and communal tension.
He was praying after work hours in a bus he is responsible for in a Muslim country that is tolerant of other religions. The Emirates is NOT a secular country, just to remind you to get your facts straight. He was not killing and kicking out people from their homes and shops like… pic.twitter.com/Unohz4BWJN
— Hend F Q (@LadyVelvet_HFQ) June 13, 2023
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Noida International Airport appoints Nitu Samra as interim CEO
New Delhi (PTI): Noida International Airport on Friday announced the appointment of its Chief Financial Officer Nitu Samra as the interim Chief Executive Officer after authorities denied permission for foreign national Christoph Schnellmann to be at the helm.
"This change follows directions issued by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) that the Chief Executive Officer of an airport in India is required to be an Indian national," NIA said in a statement.
Samra will replace Schnellmann, a Swiss national who has led Noida International Airport (NIA) as the CEO since August 2020.
The regulatory issue related to the requirement of having an Indian national as CEO has been delaying the start of commercial operations of the airport, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 28.
Schnellmann will join the airport's Board of Directors as Executive Vice Chairman. In this role, he will continue to support the project and its transition to operations, the statement said.
With immediate effect, NIA said Samra has been appointed as the CEO on an interim basis until the Board of Directors can conclude a formal selection process.
Samra has been serving as the CFO since October 2021 and was closely involved in the airport’s development journey, overseeing financial stewardship, governance, and strategic planning during a key phase of the project, the statement added.
NIA will be operated by Yamuna International Airport Pvt Ltd (YIAPL), a subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG, under a public-private partnership.
Originally scheduled to commence passenger services in September 2024, NIA is being developed in four phases, along with a dedicated cargo terminal. It received an aerodrome license from the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in March.
YIAPL Chairman Daniel Bircher said that since the inauguration of the airport by the Prime Minister, the goal was to enable the start of operations as early as possible.
"This management change brings the airport into compliance with Bureau of Civil Aviation Security requirements while maintaining continuity in the airport’s leadership team. The newly structured team will support a smooth transition into operations, guided by clear and transparent governance and a strong corporate culture," he said.
On March 28, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said commercial flight operations from the airport would start in the next 45 to 60 days.
Among the largest greenfield airport projects in the country, NIA will initially have a capacity to handle 12 million passengers per annum.
Once fully developed, the airport will have a total passenger handling capacity of 70 million.
The first phase of NIA has been developed at an investment of around Rs 11,200 crore. 'DXN' is the code for the airport.
The airport features a 3,900-metre runway capable of handling wide-body aircraft, along with modern navigation systems, including Instrument Landing System (ILS) and advanced airfield lighting.
The peak handling capacity in the first phase will be 30 flights per hour.
In the first phase, there will be 28 aircraft stands, and the projected cargo capacity is around 2.5 lakh tonnes.
Terminal 1 of the airport is spread across 1,37,985 square metres with 48 check-in counters. Over 40 acres of land have been earmarked for developing MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) facilities at the airport.
