Latest news with #Hindu-majority
Arab News
5 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
Stitching freedom: How Hindu women in Sindh are tailoring a future beyond poverty
MIRPURKHAS, PAKISTAN: In the quiet town of Sufi Colony on the outskirts of Mirpurkhas, the hum of 20 sewing machines fills the air each morning as women gather for work at the BRIT Women's Garment Unit. Among them is 25-year-old Sanjana Dileep, the fastest stitcher on the floor, a divorced mother of one, and one of the four women who co-own the factory. 'In the factory we manufacture suits and jackets that are exported,' Dileep said, her voice calm but proud. 'We do a variety of sewing there.' Launched with a Rs2 million ($7,000) interest-free loan under the Sindh government's People's Poverty Reduction Program (PPRP), BRIT has become a symbol of what financial inclusion can mean for marginalized women, especially in Hindu-majority villages where caste, religion and gender often intersect to limit opportunity. 'Earlier, we were living in poverty … But now we are doing this work that fetches us a good salary,' Dileep told Arab News, saying she now supports an extended family of eight, including a cancer-stricken uncle. In rural Sindh, female labor force participation stands at just 10.8 percent, compared with 49.1 percent for men, according to the Pakistan Labour Force Survey 2020‑21. In Mirpurkhas district, where the BRIT factory is located, over 1.68 million people live, more than 70 percent in rural area, with a literacy rate of just 34.8 percent among women. Social indicators show that 37 percent of children in the district are engaged in child labor, the highest rate in Sindh. In this context, the BRIT Women's Garment Unit offering stable income and skill development represents a rare opportunity for personal and community uplift. On average, women at the BRIT unit earn around Rs25,000 ($88) per month, a life-changing income for families in southern Sindh. The garments they stitch — cargo jeans, jackets, and other apparel — end up in supply chains that serve global brands like Izod and NewYorker, through large Karachi-based exporters such as Apex Garments and H. Nizam Din & Sons. 'We have 20 machines right now that are fully occupied as some of these females are training while others are working,' said Mohan Das, a project supervisor. He said the unit is planning to scale up to as many as 100 machines. 'WORK WITH DIGNITY' In Mirpurkhas district, where employment, especially for women, is rare and often informal, the BRIT initiative has opened a new path. Hindu women, who typically work as housemaids or on farms, now have access to structured jobs and a degree of independence. 'The Hindu community here is very poor and women usually work as housemaids in the village so we thought about setting up a plant like what we have established, this BRIT female garment plant,' said Das. Eighteen-year-old Madhu Omprakash joined BRIT a month ago. She is now one of its fastest learners. 'This job is giving a lot of [financial] support to my family and we are doing this with dignity,' she said, explaining that she took the job to help pay for her education and support her widowed mother and two younger sisters. She dreams of becoming a doctor. Another tailor, Kaushila, was found stitching inner linings for export jackets, her arms wrapped in traditional colorful Thari bangles. 'I am sewing about 15 to 20 pieces daily that are of different rates and fetch me as much as Rs800 [about $3] a day,' she said. The factory currently produces around 5,000 pieces each month, earning about Rs600,000 ($2,100) for its owners. The CMT (Cut, Make and Trim) model enables them to partner with larger firms that supply pre-cut fabric and export the finished goods. 'Yes, absolutely, we produce export products,' Das said. 'We bring [cut clothes] from Karachi's big companies like Apex, Emaan, Zohra and manufacture it for further exports.' But the global economic picture is changing. Das says uncertainty in international textile demand, especially from the US, has affected their export pipeline. 'Our business has shrunk and that's why we have focused on local sales,' he said. 'Our female tailors don't sit idle.' Marketing manager Lal Chand said the team is now approaching local brands such as Mama's Choice and Al Jobat Garments and exploring the possibility of building their own export platform to bypass middlemen. 'We are planning to create our own export platform and manufacture products to directly export,' he said. Syed Shahanshah, district manager of the Sindh Rural Support Organization (SRSO), which implements the PPRP program, said BRIT is among several microenterprises the eight-year initiative helped launch before it formally concluded in June 2025. 'Our ultimate objective is to promote job creation, livelihood improvement and poverty reduction,' he said. 'The kind of awareness this community has got — we are receiving different business plans from them. This project has a future in the eyes of the government and I am sure about its expansion.' Dileep, too, believes the project is just beginning. 'I belong to the Hindu community and we want to expand this factory as this is benefitting us,' she said. 'Earlier my father and brother used to work, but now we too are working and earning money. That really excites us.'
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Christian Family Kicked Out of Their Home for Refusing To Convert
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A Christian family has been barred from their village in India after refusing to convert to Hinduism, an international Christian human rights organization has reported. A man identified only as Vikram, his wife and their five children had lived in their Hindu-majority village in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh for years before villagers stormed their home and kicked them out on June 16, the International Christian Concern (ICC) said. Christians are facing persecution in India, according to the ICC and other organizations, amid a push for India to become a Hindu nation. Newsweek has contacted India's Ministry of Minority Affairs for comment via email. The Context This expulsion highlights intensifying religious pressures in India, where Hindu nationalist groups and politicians increasingly advocate for a Hindu-majority identity and stricter legal boundaries for religious minorities. Forced conversions, social boycotts, and anti-conversion laws have contributed to a climate of fear among Christian communities—particularly in states such as Chhattisgarh, where such policies are most aggressively enforced. There were 160 reports of violent attacks against Christians in India last year, the European Centre for Law and Justice reported in March, including attacks on church and prayer meetings and physical assaults. What To Know Village leaders confronted Vikram and his family last month, demanding that they abandon their Christian faith and participate in a Ghar Wapsi ("homecoming") ceremony to convert to Hinduism. When Vikram refused, a public meeting was held where it was announced that the family would be expelled from the village, the ICC said. Soon after, a mob attacked their home, throwing their possessions into the street and allegedly abusing their three daughters. Vikram went to the police, who advised villagers to let the family stay in their home but took no action when they refused, the organization reported. Newsweek has contacted local authorities for the state of Chhattisgarh for comment via email. Forced to leave, the family built a temporary shelter in a nearby forest, but ICC staff have since provided them with short-term housing, along with food and clothing. Chhattisgarh is one of 11 Indian states with anti-conversion laws that, despite being meant to prevent forced conversations, are widely reported to be used to intimidate and penalize religious minorities, the ICC said. Christian Persecution in India In recent years, India has witnessed a marked escalation in the persecution of its Christian population, driven in large part by the rise of Hindu nationalist ideology and the spread of anti-conversion laws across several states. At least 12 Indian states have enacted anti-conversion laws, which have roots from postindependence governments that feared colonial mass conversions. But religious freedom advocates say that, in practice, the laws are being used to intimidate and criminalize minorities. There have been multiple reports of Christian pastors and congregation members being arrested on charges of forced conversions during meetings with no evidence, according to the European Centre for Law and Justice. Indian Christians hold placards and shout slogans during a protest in Bangalore on March 13, 2013, against Hindu right-wing Bajrang Dal, a militant organization that had allegedly attacked Christian worshippers in Udupi in north Karnataka... Indian Christians hold placards and shout slogans during a protest in Bangalore on March 13, 2013, against Hindu right-wing Bajrang Dal, a militant organization that had allegedly attacked Christian worshippers in Udupi in north Karnataka five days earlier. More AP These developments are occurring against the backdrop of a broader ideological shift under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, which draws ideological roots from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh—a Hindu nationalist organization that promotes the vision of India as a Hindu nation. Its mission statement said, "From its inception, the goal before the Sangh was to attain the pinnacle of glory of the Hindu Rashtra [nation] … through organizing the entire society." What People Are Saying A Christian leader local to Vikram's village told the International Christian Concern: "This is not the first time they've been attacked. This is the fifth village meeting held to pressure the family into Ghar Wapsi." The European Centre for Law and Justice said in its March report: "Often hailed as the world's largest democracy, India has become increasingly hostile toward Christians and other religious minorities in recent years." It added: "Hindu nationalist influences have increasingly shaped state policy, undermining secular governance and institutionalizing discrimination against religious minorities." What Happens Next As calls for stricter legal definitions of religious identity gather support among Hindu nationalist groups and lawmakers, minority Christian communities in India may face increasing social, legal and physical risks. International advocates continue to monitor such incidents, pressing for stronger Indian government intervention to protect minority rights and urging U.S. policymakers to prioritize religious freedom in bilateral relations with India. The fate of Vikram's family remains uncertain as efforts to return them to their home have stalled and protection for displaced Christian families in Chhattisgarh is limited.
Business Recorder
22-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Trump's renewed interest in Pakistan has India recalibrating China ties
NEW DELHI: US President Donald Trump's lunch meeting with Pakistan's military chief prompted a private diplomatic protest from India in a warning to Washington about risks to their bilateral ties while New Delhi is recalibrating relations with China as a hedge, officials and analysts said. The meeting and other tensions in the US-India relationship, after decades of flourishing ties, have cast a shadow in trade negotiations, they said, as Trump's administration weighs tariffs against one of its major partners in the Indo-Pacific. India blames Pakistan, especially its military establishment, for supporting what it calls cross-border terrorism and has told the US it is sending the wrong signals by wooing Field Marshal Asim Munir, three senior Indian government officials directly aware of the matter told Reuters. It has created a sore spot that will hamper relations going forward, they said. Pakistan denies accusations that it supports militants who attack Indian targets and that New Delhi has provided no evidence that it is involved. US-India ties have strengthened in the past two decades despite minor hiccups, at least partly because both countries seek to counter China. The current problems are different, said Michael Kugelman, a Washington-based senior fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation think tank. 'The frequency and intensity with which the US is engaging with Pakistan, and seemingly not taking Indian concerns into account, especially after India's recent conflict with Pakistan, has contributed to a bit of a bilateral malaise.' 'The concern this time around is that one of the triggers for broader tensions, that being Trump's unpredictability, is extending into the trade realm with his approach to tariffs,' he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office and India's foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment. The foreign ministry has previously said that it had 'taken note' of the Trump-Munir meeting. A US official said they do not comment on private diplomatic communications and that the United States enjoys strong relationships with both India and Pakistan. 'These relationships stand on their own merits, and we do not compare our bilateral relationships with one another,' the US official said. The US seems to have taken a different tack on Pakistan after a brief conflict broke out between the nuclear-armed rivals in May when India launched strikes on what it called terrorist targets across the border in response to a deadly attack on tourists from the majority Hindu community in Indian Kashmir the previous month. After four days of aerial dogfights, missile and drone attacks, the two sides agreed to a cease-fire. Hindu-majority India and Islamic Pakistan have skirmished regularly and fought three full-scale wars since independence in 1947, two of them over the disputed Kashmir region. A few weeks after the May fighting, Trump hosted Munir for lunch at the White House, a major boost in ties with the country, which had largely languished under Trump's first term and Joe Biden. It was the first time a US president had hosted the head of Pakistan's army, considered the most powerful man in the country, at the White House unaccompanied by senior Pakistani civilian officials. Indian leaders have said Munir's view of India and Pakistan is steeped in religion. 'Tourists were murdered in front of their families after ascertaining their faith,' Indian foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said in May, referring to the Kashmir attack. 'To understand that, you've got to also have a Pakistani leadership, especially their army chief, who is driven by an extreme religious outlook'. Pakistan says it is Modi who is driven by religious extremism, and that his brand of Hindu nationalism has trampled on the rights of India's large Muslim minority. Modi and the Indian government say they do not discriminate against minorities.
The Hindu
19-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Vellappally Natesan slams Muslim community for efforts to enhance foothold over Kerala
Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan on Saturday accused the Muslim community of attempting to enhance its foothold over Kerala. Conducting the State-level inauguration of branch leadership meeting of various SNDP Yogam unions, Mr. Natesan warned that Muslim community would soon become the majority in the State and criticised, what he called, undue interventions by the community in the administrative affairs of the State. 'From school timings to uniform changes, interventions are happening everywhere. This is no longer secularism but religious dominance,' he said. He also pointed out that while the number of constituencies in Hindu-majority regions had been reduced, Malappuram had gained four new seats. 'The Indian Union Muslim League is contesting more seats across the State and, in the next election, will demand even more. They're now eyeing constituencies beyond Malabar. Ultimately, the IUML's aim is the Chief Minister's post,' he alleged. Mr. Natesan also claimed that no law introduced by the government would take effect unless it was first endorsed in Malappuram. 'When I spoke the truth in Malappuram, I was attacked en masse. Everyone only calmed down after the Chief Minister voiced support. But when the truth is told, it is branded as communal or casteism.' Reservation issue Reflecting on the past, he remarked that even though the SNDP Yogam supported Muslim League leader P.K. Kunhalikutty in the reservation issue, only the Muslim community benefitted. 'The Ezhavas got nothing. No one talks about social justice anymore. At a time when caste is evident even in names, if Ezhavas speak of caste, it is misrepresented as a distortion of Sree Narayana Guru's vision.' He went on to claim that Muslims dominated the industrial sector, while Christians had monopolised the education sector. 'Ezhavas are represented only in the employment guarantee scheme. In Kottayam, no new courses are sanctioned for Ezhava-run educational institutions. In fact, across Kerala, the only community-specific institution for Ezhavas is located in Kottayam.' Community solidarity Calling for community solidarity, Mr. Natesan said: 'If Ezhavas unite, we have the strength to govern. We can decide who should rule Kerala. Whichever party we join, we must assert our right to representation. In areas where Ezhavas are strong, we must aim to capture political power.' The event also featured an organisational briefing by SNDP vice-president Thushar Vellappally. Union convener Suresh Parameswaran, vice-chairman Sinil Mundappally and joint convener V. Sashikumar also addressed the gathering.
Miami Herald
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
U.S. Lists Group Behind Indian Kashmir Killings As Terrorists
The United States designated a Muslim militant group a "foreign terrorist organization" over an attack on Indian tourists in the Kashmir region in April in which 26 people were killed, saying the organization was a front for Pakistan-based Islamists who have been battling Indian forces in the disputed Himalayan region for decades. The Resistance Front (TRF) initially claimed responsibility for the April 22 attack in Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, which ramped up tensions between India and Pakistan and sparked a four-day war between the nuclear-armed rivals in May. The TRF later disavowed responsibility for the attack on Hindu tourists but U.S. and Indian security organizations dismissed the group's attempt to shirk responsibility. Newsweek reached out to Pakistan's foreign ministry for comment. The U.S. listing of the group as a "foreign terrorist organization" and "specially designated global terrorist" upholds U.S. opposition to Islamist militancy and demonstrates support for Hindu-majority India as it tries to end a simmering separatist insurgency in Muslim-majority Kashmir, for which it blames Pakistan. ThePahalgam attack prompted the worst confrontation between India and Pakistan in decades, with India attacking what it said were terrorist targets inside Pakistan. Pakistan rejected allegations of cross-border involvement in that or other attacks. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the TRF was a "front and proxy" for the Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistani group responsible for some of the most deadly attacks in India over the past 20 years. The United States designated it a terrorist group in 2001. "These actions taken by the Department of State demonstrates the Trump Administration's commitment to protecting our national security interests, countering terrorism, and enforcing President Trump's call for justice for the Pahalgam attack," Rubio said in a statement. Hindu-majority India and Muslim Pakistan both claim Kashmir and rule over parts of it. Muslim militants, most of whom call for Indian Kashmir to be ruled by Pakistan, have been battling security forces in the Indian part of Kashmir since the late 1980s. India accuses Pakistan of supporting the militants. Pakistan denies that but says it supports the people of Kashmir in their quest for self-determination. Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar referred to the perpetrators of the April attack as "freedom fighters", drawing criticism in India and the U.S. India welcomed the U.S. designation. "A strong affirmation of India-US counter-terrorism cooperation," Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said on the X social media platform. "Zero tolerance for Terrorism," he added. The U.S. decision adds the TRF "and other associated aliases" to the Lashkar-e-Taiba designation as a terrorist group, the State Department said, making it illegal for any U.S. individual or entity to knowingly provide material support. The group's U.S.-linked assets, if any, are subject to immediate freeze. The April attack triggered Operation Sindoor on May 7, an Indian military operation targeting what it described as "terrorist infrastructure" in Pakistani-controlled territory. A ceasefire was brokered on May 10, with Trump publicly claiming a role in the de-escalation. India has long maintained opposition to any mediation in its dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir and it denied any U.S. role in ending its latest war with its neighbor. Indian government spokesperson: "India has consistently emphasized the need for global cooperation in the fight against terrorism and the dismantling of terror infrastructure. The designation of TRF is a timely and important step reflecting the deep cooperation between India and the United States on counter-terrorism." U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio: "These actions taken by the Department of State demonstrates the Trump Administration's commitment to protecting our national security interests, countering terrorism, and enforcing President Trump's call for justice for the Pahalgam attack." The May 10 ceasefire has held but India has vowed to respond to any new militant attack in its part of Kashmir or anywhere else in India. Related Articles Full List as Supreme Court Rules for Donald Trump 15 Times in a RowHow Will Putin React to Trump's Ukraine Pivot? Newsweek Contributors DebateChina's Global Popularity Rises as US StumblesChina Denounces US Tariff "Bullying" 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
