Aziz Haniffa In Washington,DC

Stories by Aziz Haniffa In Washington,DC

Lobbying on to add Pakistan in Obama's tour plan

Lobbying on to add Pakistan in Obama's tour plan

Rediff.com   21 Sep 2010

The influential pro-Pakistan lobby has launched a concerted campaign urging US President Barack Obama to visit Pakistan during his trip to India November 6-9.

Obama appoints Hindu, Muslim, Sikh to Asian panel

Obama appoints Hindu, Muslim, Sikh to Asian panel

Rediff.com   17 Sep 2010

In announcing the appointments, Obama said, "Our nation will be well-served by the skill and dedication these men and women bring to their new roles. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead."

Neal Katyal honoured by Hindu American Foundation

Neal Katyal honoured by Hindu American Foundation

Rediff.com   16 Sep 2010

Neal Katyal, United States' principal deputy solicitor general currently serving as the acting solicitor general, believes that Hindu Americans have come a long way since his father arrived five decades ago to a segregated America.Katyal, 40, who is among the top five contenders to be the next solicitor general, was presented with the Pride of the Community Award by the Hindu American Foundation at its annual Capitol Hill reception.

Indian American runs for Maryland education board

Indian American runs for Maryland education board

Rediff.com   16 Sep 2010

Maryland realtor Narain Kumar Mathur has declared his candidacy for the Charles County Board of Education. If elected, he pledged to provide 'our kids a safe, comfortable educational environment and enhance educational standards by reducing class sizes.'

'Hindus most discriminated in Pak, Bangladesh'

'Hindus most discriminated in Pak, Bangladesh'

Rediff.com   15 Sep 2010

An American Congressman has slammed the alleged ethnic cleansing of Hindus in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan and said that Hindus have been discriminated much more than any other ethnic group in these countries.

'Indian American Leadership Initiative amazing'

'Indian American Leadership Initiative amazing'

Rediff.com   8 Sep 2010

Indian American Leadership Initiative President Kathy Kulkarni and IALI Vice President Anurag Varma, who had prepared for over three months to put together the organization's national convention, have reason to smile.

'America being redefined. We must be at the table'

'America being redefined. We must be at the table'

Rediff.com   8 Sep 2010

It's no secret why Washington, DC-based information technology entrepreneur Rajeev Sharma has been unanimously cajoled into serving as the chair of the Indian American Leadership Initiative's advisory board.

Jody Venkatesan runs for Maryland Senate

Jody Venkatesan runs for Maryland Senate

Rediff.com   7 Sep 2010

Jody Venkatesan has declared his candidacy for Maryland's state senate from District 13 where he and his family have lived for 13 years on the Republican ticket.

US: Old vs new in supporting community candidates

US: Old vs new in supporting community candidates

Rediff.com   7 Sep 2010

In the interaction that followed the discussion on 'Supporting Our Candidates: Stretching the Indian American Dollar,' former Indian-American Leadership Initiative president Jay Chaudhuri lamented the disconnect between the older and younger Indian-American generations.

'You can't turn away from your heritage'

'You can't turn away from your heritage'

Rediff.com   7 Sep 2010

The 'dean' of Indian-American legislators, Maryland House Majority Leader Kumar Barve, recalled that when he first decided to run, the community found his decision "dubious."

Soulsearching: Democrats taking desis for granted?

Soulsearching: Democrats taking desis for granted?

Rediff.com   7 Sep 2010

Is the Democratic Party taking the Indian-American community for granted? That was one of the issues that came up during the interactive sessions at the Indian-American Leadership Initiative convention, especially considering how much the likes of Jay Goyal, Ashwin Madia, Manan Trivedi and others had to fight to secure Democratic nominations in the primary over the favorites of party insiders, in contrast to what some argued was the embrace of the GOP of the likes of Bobby Ji

US Hindu body condemns vandalism of mosques

US Hindu body condemns vandalism of mosques

Rediff.com   6 Sep 2010

The Hindu American Foundation -- comprising mainly second generation Indian American Hindu professionals, including several physicians and lawyers- -- has condemned the increasing vandalism and protests against mosques across the United States and even violence against Muslim Americans in the wake of the controversy over a proposal to build a mosque near Ground Zero in New York, saying, "These displays of bigotry are despicable."

US firms peeved over nuke liability amendments

US firms peeved over nuke liability amendments

Rediff.com   31 Aug 2010

An obviously chagrined United States-India Business Council, which has lobbied feverishly for the passage of the US-India civilian nuclear deal in the US Congress, on Monday issued a guarded reaction to the passage of the nuclear liability bill in the Parliament that had 'compromised on the indemnity clause demanded by American companies to protect it from liability in case of a nuclear accident.'

Islamic scholar speaks on Ground Zero mosque row

Islamic scholar speaks on Ground Zero mosque row

Rediff.com   30 Aug 2010

The controversy about the construction of a mosque near Ground Zero "has highlighted the inner strength of America's pluralist society as well as the raw sentiments of some politicians," according to Srinagar-born Professor Sayyid M Syeed, national director of the Office for Interfaith and Community Alliances of the Islamic society of North America.

'Inciting remarks on 9/11 mosque must stop'

'Inciting remarks on 9/11 mosque must stop'

Rediff.com   30 Aug 2010

Indian American Muslim Republicans have expressed outrage over the rabble-rousing of fellow Republican leaders like former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and erstwhile Alaska Governor Sarah Palin over the proposed building of a mosque-cum-community centre near Ground Zero, and warned that their bigotry will drive Muslim Americans out of the party.

Mumbai-born Catholic to head King's College in NYC

Mumbai-born Catholic to head King's College in NYC

Rediff.com   30 Aug 2010

Dinesh D'Souza, the Mumbai-born controversial conservative scholar, has been appointed president of The King's College in New York City -- a move that has surprised many high education observers because D'Souza, a Roman Catholic, will now take over the helm of the historically evangelical Protestant institution.

Didn't visit JuD relief camp: USAID chief Shah

Didn't visit JuD relief camp: USAID chief Shah

Rediff.com   28 Aug 2010

Dr Rajiv Shah, administrator of the United States Agency for International Development and the highest-ranking Indian American in the Barack Obama administration, has set the record straight over conflicting reports that he had visited a relief camp run by a front organisation of Jamaat-ud-Dawa in Pakistan's Sindh province and handed over US aid.The JuD is headed by Hafiz Saeed, the founder of Lashkar-e-Tayiba and alleged mastermind of the horrific 26/11 terror attacks.

'Muslims didn't bomb twin towers. Terrorists did'

'Muslims didn't bomb twin towers. Terrorists did'

Rediff.com   24 Aug 2010

The two Indian Americans on the White House inter-faith council, Eboo Patel, a Muslim, and Anju Bhargava, a Hindu, have strongly endorsed United States President Barack Obama's support for the proposed mosque cum community and Islamic cultural center near Ground Zero in New York, saying it was a constitutional issue with regard to freedom of religion that had to be protected zealously

More Indians entering leading think tanks in US

More Indians entering leading think tanks in US

Rediff.com   24 Aug 2010

Shikha Bhatnagar's recent appointment as Associate Director of the South Asia Center of the Atlantic Council, is yet another manifestation of a growing trend of second generation Indian Americans' advent into leading Washington, DC think tanks as senior policy analysts and associates.

End of the political road for Satveer Chaudhary?

End of the political road for Satveer Chaudhary?

Rediff.com   18 Aug 2010

It was an ignominious defeat and perhaps the end of a political career of an Indian American state legislator who at one time held such promise that he was often touted as a future national politician either in the United States House of Representatives of US Senate, with some even arguing that he was gubernatorial material.