Sabah Hamid, a staffer at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation resigned after the foundation remained adamant to award PM Narendra Modi amid Kashmir siege.
I worked at the @gatesfoundation@BMGFIndia until September 20. I no longer do. Here's why.
Foundation staffer quits, protesting Modi award amid Kashmir lockdown@TRTWorld https://t.co/3Hp9dv075D
— Sabah Hamid (@akh_koor) September 24, 2019
Hamid asserted that she resigned to record her protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ongoing brutalities in Indian Occupied Kashmir. The staffer disapproved of Gates Foundation’s decision to award Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In her interview to the TRT World, she asserted that she was disillusioned with the decision to award PM Modi despite allegations on him of imposing a communication blackout, denying basic rights to the millions of people in Kashmir and a lockdown for more than 50 days, which has crippled the normal life.
PM Narendra Modi dedicated the award to the people of India, describing their indispensable support as vital for the success of his few of the ambitious project Swach Bharat Abhayaan or Clean India Campaign.
Her resignation came just hours before Gates Foundation delivered the award to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 24th. Sabah Hamid, a communication specialist at the Foundation asserted that she protested the decision against her bosses but to no avail.
Salute, indeed. https://t.co/HmoEtTlduX
— Sabah Hamid (@akh_koor) September 25, 2019
“Since the foundation seemed set on its course of action to go ahead with the award – which as a private foundation it is entitled to – I could do just one thing: leave,” Hamid told. “In my opinion, any organization that works to improve the lives of the vulnerable, and to reduce inequality in the world, should not honor a person whose decisions inflict irreversible harm on the vulnerable and whose reign has increased inequality in an already unequal country manifold,” added Hamid.
@TRTWorld A staff member at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation says she has resigned in protest at a decision to honour India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi.@UN @anwer_qumnews @PTIofficial @BBC @hrw @CNN @toi @RT_com @AJENews @dwnews @guardiannews https://t.co/L7wGloFjB2
— Hafiz Muhammad Arsalan (@HMArsalan01) September 25, 2019
Hamid said being a Kashmiri made her decision a personal one. She lamented the fact that her people are living under an undeclared curfew. Adding that the Modi-led government not only tactfully planned the crisis but the large part of their media is a pawn in disseminating their false narrative. “Being feted at large international gatherings, and winning awards plays right into that.”
The @gatesfoundation justification for award to #Modi is akin to the ‘never mind all else, he made the trains run on time’ logic; reinforcement through recognition of such illiberal & authoritarian slides away from democracy at present global moment is an utter disgrace.
— Professor Nitasha Kaul, PhD (@NitashaKaul) September 24, 2019
She added that her decision is not solely based on the abrogation of the Article 370 and 35-A since the situation was not pleasant and satisfactory in Kashmir earlier but on the rise of religious extremism and jingoism in India, which saw the surge in the lynching of Muslims and persecution of Christians and Dalits in India.
Read more: Bill Gates to honor PM Modi for construction of toilets nationwide
She resorted to resign since she felt conflicted over denouncing the award while being paid by that foundation.
If you know of someone from Kashmir in need of assistance, or are in need yourself, please connect with me. DM please – do not leave your name or details as a public comment.
Know that you are not alone. Know that we will overcome this, as we always have. https://t.co/EkonLA8c1R
— Sabah Hamid (@akh_koor) September 13, 2019
Meanwhile, in a ceremony held in New York yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with the ‘Global Goalkeeper Award’ despite international backlashes.
"I dedicate this award to all Indians who transformed 'Clean India Mission' into a people's movement"
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation honors PM Modi with #GlobalGoalkeeperAward for building 100+ million toilets.
Librandus must boycott Windows & start installing Ubuntu.😒🤣😒 pic.twitter.com/LGqRrIzt4v
— Sir Jadeja fan (@SirJadeja) September 25, 2019
In a series of tweets, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the award to the people of India, describing their indispensable support as vital for the success of his few of the ambitious project Swach Bharat Abhayaan or Clean India Campaign. PM Modi added that children and women have benefitted most with the project, which saw the construction of toilets across India in a bid to tackle open defecation.