Pro-Gaza candidates secure key victories in UK Elections
In a surprising turn of events, several independent candidates campaigning on pro-Gaza platforms have won significant victories in the recent UK elections, taking over several former Labour strongholds.
One of the most notable upsets occurred in Leicester South, where Shockat Adam unseated shadow minister Jonathan Ashworth. Adam secured his win by 979 votes and dedicated his victory to Gaza, emphasizing the influence of pro-Gaza sentiment in his constituency, where around 30% of the electorate are Muslim.
In Ilford North, shadow health secretary Wes Streeting saw his majority drastically reduced from over 9,000 to just 528 votes, nearly losing to independent candidate Leanne Mohamad, who is the granddaughter of Palestinian refugees.
Labour's performance was notably poor in areas with large Muslim populations. In Birmingham Perry Barr, Khalid Mahmood was defeated by independent Ayoub Khan by 507 votes. Dewsbury, Batley, and Blackburn, all previously held by Labour with substantial majorities, were also taken by independent candidates focusing on the Gaza issue.
In Leicester East, the Conservatives benefited from votes drawn by independent candidates, including the area's former Labour MP Claudia Webbe, an outspoken pro-Palestinian campaigner. The Tories won her former seat by 4,426 votes, with Webbe's vote count exceeding the margin of victory.
In other areas with significant Muslim populations, senior Labour figures narrowly retained their seats. Coventry South's newly elected Labour MP Zarah Sultana criticized her party's stance on Gaza, calling it a "stain on its record" and acknowledging the need for improvement.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer faced heckles of "Free Palestine" at his own count, where his majority was reduced, and pro-Gaza independent Andrew Feinstein came in second with 7,312 votes.
In Birmingham Ladywood, shadow justice secretary Shabana Mahmood held off independent candidate Akhmed Yakoob, though her majority fell from over 32,000 to 3,421. Similarly, Jess Phillips saw her majority slashed from 13,141 to 693 votes in a campaign she described as "the worst election I have ever stood in," citing intimidation against her activists.
In Bethnal Green and Stepney, shadow small business minister Rushnara Ali narrowly defeated independent Ajmal Masroor by 1,689 votes.
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn retained his Islington North seat as an independent, beating the Labour candidate by more than 7,000 votes. Corbyn was suspended from the party over his response to a report on antisemitism within Labour.
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Gurugram/New Delhi: A case involving a former Ashoka University student has drawn attention after her parents alleged she went missing and sought a probe into an alleged network, while court records indicate that the woman had left home voluntarily and sought legal protection to live independently.
According to The Print, the parents, who are both academics, have approached the Haryana State Commission for Women, alleging that their daughter was manipulated and used by university officials. They have requested a probe by the National probe Agency and have named multiple individuals, including academic members, researchers, and students, in their complaints.
However, the university stated that the woman ceased to be a student in May 2023 and that its instructors and staff have no participation in the situation.
According to documentation in the case, the woman, who was 22 at the time, left her Rohtak home on October 24, 2023. In her written communication with police officers and the station house officer in Sonipat, she stated that she had departed on her own accord, alleging years of physical and emotional abuse at home and demanding secrecy regarding her location.
She subsequently recorded a statement before a magistrate under provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure. She affirmed her decision to live independently and in later complaints, she alleged continued attempts by her family to contact her and sought police protection.
Court records from the Delhi High Court show that she appeared in person before the court in May 2024 and stated that she wished to choose her own way of life and did not want to interact with her family. The court noted her statement and recorded that she was a major acting of her own volition.
In a subsequent order, the court noted that she had been provided police protection since November 2023 and was residing independently, granting her liberty to approach the court again if required.
The parents, meanwhile, have maintained that their daughter was a meritorious student and alleged that she was traced earlier to premises linked to university staff. They also raised concerns over financial transactions and a name change, which they claim point to a larger network.
At the centre of their allegations is Bittu Kaveri Rajaraman, an associate professor at the university. No response has been issued by the individuals named in the complaint so far.
After the matter was taken up by the women’s commission, chairperson Renu Bhatia said the panel may recommend a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
During the hearings, a lawyer claiming to represent the woman arrived before the commission even though she had not been summoned and the commission has asked for her personal appearance.
