Early next month when you go out to vote why will you be voting?
Admit it, we as a community have a dismall view of councillors. More so than other communities.
Maybe this is due to the fact that in the Asian sub-continent politicians of all levels are seen as a corrupt and inept bunch of folk.
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But here in the UK after making great strides in education, business and sport why or why is our standard of council candidates so low.
Take for example the first notion. That some of their English is so bad what on earth are they doing as elected officials? Now speaking English should not make you a good or bad councillor but it is truly embarassing to see elected officials in office when they can't string a sentence together.
Just last week I had one candidate knock at my door and I can honestly say he wanted me to read the glossy leaflet rather than talk to me!
There was also the recent case of a councillor taking long breaks or simply not attending council meetings at all. First we had the case of councillor who was in India for months on end and then another who hadn't attended a Council meeting in six months!
There is also the bane of all Asian politics and this is probably one of the overriding reasons why our level of candidates continues to go downhill.
We have a sense that we will only vote for someone because he or she is from a certain caste. Therefore regardless of a person's qualification to represent the community anyone and anybody is pushed to the fore to stand as a councillor.
I have seen this with my own eyes. I saw a man coerced' into standing as a councillor by elder members of the community even though he had no idea what being a councillor was all about.
This baradari system continues to haunt the Asian community like some horrible disease eating out our souls. You have all witnessed these almighty battles in predominantly Aaian wards where two castes go head to head.
It can get ugly as the policies and the candidates themselves are lost in a haze of accusations and counter-accusations.
There have been cases and there will be again where good Asian councillors who have done a lot for the community are beaten into second place by candidates who are simply there because they are related to standing councillors.
Or those who continue to think that just because they are Asian they are going to do a better job than a non-Asian who has lived in that same ward for the same amount of time.
One man who is a standing as a councillor said he was surprised at how ugly things can get. "I was told that if you are born and brought up here who cannot stand as a councillor because you are not willling to get downright ugly at election time.
"That does not mean you break the rules but you can't get elected unless you have the baradari system on your side. Simple."
But then again are we really being too harsh on those who step forward and want to put something back into the community.
After all someone has to do it as it seems the youth have given up.
I was speaking to one candidate recently and he stated that as an Asian politician he has to work that extra bit harder to persuade people to vote for him.
"There is tendency for people automatically think we are in it for ourselves so you have to get over that barrier first. It's not easy being an Asian politician and trying to go out and get votes.
"I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle because people have already made their mind up from what people have heard about Asian councillors."
"Everyone deserves a chance don't they?"
So is they really any hope? Well, next time a council candidate comes knocking rather than asking if he's an Indian, Pakistani, Bengali, Jhat, Gujjar, Mir Puri, Kashmiri, Bharuchi, Surtee - just ask him in plain English if he's going to make a difference.
Posted by: Huzayfa, Blackburn on 1:26pm Tue 8 Apr 08
Good article.
Unfortunately and its sad to say, most Asians have no political views or any opinion. We don't care about Civil Rights, Social Justice or what is happening in the world and take no interest what Parliament is doing. Eventhough Parliament affects and influences our life!
In the asian culture, money and status takes priority over everything. Asians are commercialised and easily influenced by money and goods.
So whilst we are like that, our Councillors will be like that.
If we were politicised and gave a **** about Liberties, Justice, Peace then you will see our Councillors who we elect would be the same.
Good article.
Unfortunately and its sad to say, most Asians have no political views or any opinion. We don't care about Civil Rights, Social Justice or what is happening in the world and take no interest what Parliament is doing. Eventhough Parliament affects and influences our life!
In the asian culture, money and status takes priority over everything. Asians are commercialised and easily influenced by money and goods.
So whilst we are like that, our Councillors will be like that.
If we were politicised and gave a **** about Liberties, Justice, Peace then you will see our Councillors who we elect would be the same.
Posted by: Shamas, Manchester on 11:44am Wed 9 Apr 08
Well said Huzayfa, I agree with what you had to say, Asains are short of "Grey matter" and the Imams have got us by the "throat", therefore we have had no guts to stand up to these " clever" guys.
Well said Huzayfa, I agree with what you had to say, Asains are short of "Grey matter" and the Imams have got us by the "throat", therefore we have had no guts to stand up to these " clever" guys.
Posted by: Abbas, Blackburn on 7:00pm Fri 11 Apr 08
The councillors in my area are muppets to be nice about them. They don’t give a toss about anything until it comes to election time and they run around like a bunch of headless chickens.
They are all in it for themselves but the IQ of the Asian community is so low they are too thick to see what’s happening. Most of them can’t even speak English properly.
They only get voted in because they live in the same village in Pokistaaan or India.
I should run for election and I would do a better job than these SPONGERS! They only never come to your house to ask if your happy only to make you vote for them.
They are just dodgy sleazy business men look at the guy who went to India for 6 months.
The councillors in my area are muppets to be nice about them. They don’t give a toss about anything until it comes to election time and they run around like a bunch of headless chickens.
They are all in it for themselves but the IQ of the Asian community is so low they are too thick to see what’s happening. Most of them can’t even speak English properly.
They only get voted in because they live in the same village in Pokistaaan or India.
I should run for election and I would do a better job than these SPONGERS! They only never come to your house to ask if your happy only to make you vote for them.
They are just dodgy sleazy business men look at the guy who went to India for 6 months.
Posted by: Abbas, Blackburn on 7:03pm Fri 11 Apr 08
In regards to speaking English i am talking about the councillors. Just to clear things up. This town is going to rot unless someone from the Asin community stands up and takes real control with a zero tollerance policy and helps people.
In regards to speaking English i am talking about the councillors. Just to clear things up. This town is going to rot unless someone from the Asin community stands up and takes real control with a zero tollerance policy and helps people.
Posted by: Tahir, Nottingham on 7:29pm Fri 11 Apr 08
The worst thing is nowadays we have people born and brought up here who will go along with things because they know it get them elected.
Their English is perfect but they still say things like 'Why don't you vote for the Muslim?' So backward.
I hate those guys.
Non-Muslims are likely to do a better job for us than the Muslims will...and that's a fact!
The worst thing is nowadays we have people born and brought up here who will go along with things because they know it get them elected.
Their English is perfect but they still say things like 'Why don't you vote for the Muslim?' So backward.
I hate those guys.
Non-Muslims are likely to do a better job for us than the Muslims will...and that's a fact!
Posted by: adam, blackburn on 8:08pm Fri 25 Apr 08
[quote][bold]Huzayfa[/bold] wrote:
Good article. Unfortunately and its sad to say, most Asians have no political views or any opinion. We don\'t care about Civil Rights, Social Justice or what is happening in the world and take no interest what Parliament is doing. Eventhough Parliament affects and influences our life! In the asian culture, money and status takes priority over everything. Asians are commercialised and easily influenced by money and goods. So whilst we are like that, our Councillors will be like that. If we were politicised and gave a **** about Liberties, Justice, Peace then you will see our Councillors who we elect would be the same. [/quote] Hi there...Well said brother...the problem is we are electing councillors who have bo idea whats happening....lack of communication skills, enlish etc....I can understand why our youngsters are not standing...its a dirty game....well we need a change....but its hard!!!
Huzayfa wrote:
Good article. Unfortunately and its sad to say, most Asians have no political views or any opinion. We don\'t care about Civil Rights, Social Justice or what is happening in the world and take no interest what Parliament is doing. Eventhough Parliament affects and influences our life! In the asian culture, money and status takes priority over everything. Asians are commercialised and easily influenced by money and goods. So whilst we are like that, our Councillors will be like that. If we were politicised and gave a **** about Liberties, Justice, Peace then you will see our Councillors who we elect would be the same.
Hi there...Well said brother...the problem is we are electing councillors who have bo idea whats happening....lack of communication skills, enlish etc....I can understand why our youngsters are not standing...its a dirty game....well we need a change....but its hard!!!
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