India

Dubai, Sep 4 (IANS) Virat Kohli slammed his second consecutive fifty in as many matches as India posted a competitive 181/7 against Pakistan in the second Super Four match of Asia Cup 2022 at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.

Pushed into batting first, Kohli top-scored with 60 off 44 balls, hitting four fours and a six, while running hard between the wickets and was superb against pacers in an innings where India reverted back to its aggressive attacking approach.

Kohli's knock came after the opening pair of captain Rohit Sharma and K.L Rahul came out all guns blazing in a 54-run opening stand. For Pakistan, spinners Mohammad Nawaz (1-25) and Shadab Khan (2-31) bowled eight overs between themselves and conceded just 56 runs. Pacers Naseem Shah, Mohammad Hasnain and Haris Rauf had a wicket apiece.

Sharma gave India a rollicking start, dancing down the pitch to lift Shah over cover for four and ended the 10-run opening over with a pulled six over deep mid-wicket. He then elegantly lofted Hasnain for another four over mid-off.

Rahul joined the boundary-hitting party with a brace of sixes off Shah in the third over. A beautiful lofted off-drive went over wide long-off while a flicked loft off the wrists was slammed straight down the ground.

Sharma's carnage continued as he crunched a drive past cover for four and pulled Rauf on the very next ball over deep mid-wicket for six. Rahul got India's fifty in 4.2 overs by dancing down the pitch to hammer Nawaz down the ground for four.

Rauf broke the 54-run opening stand in the final over of the powerplay, as Sharma mishit a slower ball to point. India's second wicket fell on the very first ball post-powerplay as Rahul holed out to long-on off Shadab.

Suryakumar Yadav and Kohli got two fours each to continue India's high-risk approach. But Nawaz struck in the tenth over, having Suryakumar slog-sweeping straight to backward square leg.

With Nawaz keeping things tight, Kohli took to taking fours off Shah and Hasnain through pull and drive. Rishabh Pant hoicked hard off Shah and had an outer edge on a slog off Shadab for a brace of fours.

But the leg-spinner had the last laugh as Pant reverse-swept straight to backward point. In the next over, Hardik Pandya punched a cross-seam ball from Hasnain straight to a forward diving short mid-wicket to depart for a two-ball duck.

Deepak Hooda's first four was driven firmly through the gap between mid-off and extra cover off Rauf. He then arched back to ramp a bouncer from Hasnain over the keeper's head. Kohli got his fifty in 36 balls with some style, shuffling towards off-side and whipping Hasnain over deep mid-wicket for six.

The last two overs didn't bring a glorious finish for India as Deepak Hooda skied high to long-on off Shah while Kohli fell inches short of his crease while trying to complete the second run. But misfields in the deep on the last two balls gave India back-to-back fours and took the total above 180.

Brief scores: India 181/7 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 60, Rohit Sharma 28; Shadab Khan 2-31, Mohammad Nawaz 1-25) against Pakistan

--IANS

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New Delhi, Sep 4 (IANS) Congress leader Shashi Tharoor commended the "strong speech" by party leader Rahul Gandhi, who attacked the Narendra Modi government's failure to control inflation, at the party rally here on Sunday.

A strong speech by @RahulGandhi at @INCIndia's #MehengaiParHallaBol rally roused the huge crowds thronging the Ram Lila Maidan. Now to take the message across the country in the #BharatJodoYatra!" he said in a tweet.

Tharoor, who is seen as a member of the G-23, seeking wide-ranging reforms in the party, is seen as a possible candidate in the elections to the Congress President's post next month.

In his speech at the rally, Rahul Gandhi attacked the BJP-led Central government, saying said fear and hate were on the rise in the country since the party came into power.

"Hate is the incarnation of fear. The hate takes shape in those who fear something. Those who don't fear have no sense of hate," he said.

Gandhi identified the fears that were rising in India as "the fear for future, fear of rising prices, and the fear of rising unemployment".

"The hate divides the society leading to weakening of the country. The BJP and RSS are involved in dividing the society, deliberately creating hate and fear in the country," he said.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Sep 4 (IANS) Addressing the 'Mehngai Par Halla bol rally' at Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked the BJP-led Central government and said fear and hate were on the rise in the country since the party came into power.

"The condition of the country is known to all. Since the BJP came to power, hate, violence and fear are on the rise in the country.

"Hate is the incarnation of fear. The hate takes shape in those who fear something. Those who don't fear have no sense of hate," Rahul Gandhi said.

Elaborating further, he asked about the types of fears that were rising in India -- "The fear for future, fear of rising prices and the fear of rising unemployment," the Congress leader said.

"The hate divides the society leading to weakening of the country. The BJP and RSS are involved in dividing the society, deliberately creating hate and fear in the country.

"In the last 8 years since when the saffron party came into the power, the farmers, Dalit, poor, small scale industries, labourers, have got nothing. Only two industrialists are getting all the advantage.

"If you ask the rest of India's industrialists, they will also say the same thing that only two industrialists are getting the whole advantage," Gandhi said.

The Congress leader also hit out at the media, alleging that the whole media belongs to only those two industrialists and they show what they like. "Media scares the country which creates the sense of hatred among the countrymen. That gives the advantage to the BJP and later the party returns it to them," he alleged.

Talking about unemployment in the country, Gandhi said that even these two industrialists can not give employment to the whole youth of the country. It is small scale industry and agriculture that gives employment in the country, but unfortunately the Modi government has broken their backbones and the spirit.

"The credit for what the country faces today on the economic and other front goes to the irresponsible Modi government. But we will not step back from our responsibility. We will work together with the poor and deprived people of the country and will be their voice.

"Unemployment will rise in the coming days. On the one hand, India faces the highest unemployment and on the other hand the sky rocketing prices are touching every Indian," said Gandhi.

Talking about the Congress Bharat Jodo Yatra, he said, "Media doesn't listen to us. Even in Parliament we are not allowed to speak on any issues. So we have left with just one option to go directly among the public to connect with them and raise their concerns."

"The Congress party has always stood with citizens of the country, raised their voice and fought their fight and will continue to do so till the tyrannical forces ruling the nation today get defeated," Rahul Gandhi said.

--IANS
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By Quaid Najmi
Mumbai, Sep 4 (IANS) Renowned industrialist Cyrus P. Mistry, of the multinational Shapoorji Pallonji Group and former Chairman of Tata Sons, was killed in a road accident on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai national highway in Maharashtra's Palghar on Sunday afternoon.


Mistry, 54 is survived by his wife Rohiqa, their two sons, an elder brother Shapoor Mistry and other family members.

Also killed in the accident was Jehangir D. Pundole, of the famed 'Dukes' soft drinks and foods company and the Pundole Art Gallery in Mumbai.

Another couple in the vehicle - Pundole's brother, Darius D. Pundole and wife Dr. Anahita Darius Pundole - were critically injured and rushed to Rainbow Hospital in Vapi in south Gujarat, said an official of Palghar police.

The young industrialist Mistry's abrupt death comes barely two months after his father, Pallonji Shapoorji Mistry, the Chairman Emeritus of the Group, passed away, aged 93, on June 28 in Mumbai.

Taking serious cognisance, the state government has ordered a probe into the incident that stunned the country's corporate world.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who handles the home portfolio, said he has spoken to the Director General of Police Rajnish Sheth and ordered a detailed investigation into the incident.

According to Palghar Superintendent of Police Balasaheb Patil, the accident took place on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai national highway, around 3.15 pm, barely a couple of hours' drive from Mumbai.

"Of the four persons in the Mercedes car, two - (Mistry and Jehangir Pundole) - were declared dead instantly and two others (Darius and his wife Dr. Anahita Pundole) who were injured critically, have been rushed to Rainbow Hospital in Vapi," he told media persons.

Palghar police officials said that the Mistry and the Pundoles apparently became victims of "over-speeding" as the car hit with full force a highway divider on the River Surya passing the national highway near Charoti, around 105 kms north of Mumbai.

The impact of the crash was so powerful that although the car's airbags popped open, they failed to save the occupants - killing two and injuring two others - and dark-grey Mercedes was left badly damaged.

The tragedy apparently proved to be a double loss for the Pundole brothers (Jehangir and Darius) whose father Dinshaw passed away last week, and they had gone to perform the post-funeral rites in Udwada, a coastal town in south Gujarat, though details are not available.

The police have provisionally termed it as an "overspeeding case" which may have resulted in the devastating accident, especially since Palghar and surrounding regions have been battered with heavy rains since Saturday.

The news sent shockwaves in Indian corporate and political circles and many reacted with initial disbelief this afternoon.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari expressed grief and shock over the tragedy and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said Mistry's demise is a loss not only to his family but also the country's industrial world.

Nationalist Congress President Sharad Pawar, Congress state and central leaders, Shiv Sena leaders and other top politicians have condoled Mistry's demise.

NCP MP Supriya Sule expressed shock at the incident on Twitter. "Devastating News My Brother Cyrus Mistry passed away. Can't believe it. Rest in Peace Cyrus."

Other union and state ministers, senior leaders from Bharatiya Janata Party, the corporate world in India and abroad have condoled Mistry's death.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in)

--IANS
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Dubai, Sep 4 (IANS) Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes talismanic batter Virat Kohli looks a lot calmer after returning from the one-and-a-half break to return for Asia Cup 2022. Shastri added that the break taken by Kohli after India's tour of England ended was a much-needed one.

Kohli, in a prolonged lean patch seen from him not scoring a century in international cricket since November 2019, began Asia Cup 2022 with a crucial 35 in the thrilling five-wicket win over Pakistan in India's first Group A match. He then scored an unbeaten 59 in India's second Group A win over Hong Kong.

"Virat Kohli looks a lot calmer, he needed that break. When you are mentally tired, you are fighting against yourself. Your body tells you something to do, your mind tells you something to do, but you can't take it. The break could have helped him. The fact that he spent some time on the field would also help him," said Shastri ahead of India's Super Four match against Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium.

Meanwhile, former Pakistan left-arm pacer Wasim Akram urged fans from both teams to not go overboard irrespective of what the result is at the end of the match. "And that's where we experts have to suggest to fans from both India and Pakistan. The teams will compete, and they will give their 100 percent, day in and day out. But in the end, it's a game of cricket. Somebody has to win, somebody has to lose.

"Any team loses, just say 'bad luck, well tried, better luck next time'. Whichever team wins, 'well played'. We (fans) just go overboard, we players, once the game is finished, we move on very quickly. We have to motivate ourselves again. So that's very important for cricket fans, both sides."

Shastri agreed with Akram's comments, conceding the India-Pakistan contest is totally "over-hyped" from the outside. "It's over-hyped from the outside. There is no love lost. The players will go at each other's throats on the field. That's how it should be."

"There's a great rivalry. It's the biggest box office when it comes to a game of cricket. You look at the first game of the Asia Cup, every time these two teams play, it's massive."

--IANS

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New Delhi, Sep 4 (IANS) Dheeraj Dhoopar, who received many accolades for playing Karan Luthra in the TV soap 'Kundali Bhagya', is now a part of the celebrity dance reality show 'Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 10', which is altogether a new experience for him.

It is challenging, too, for along with it he is doing a fictional show 'Sherdill Shergill' opposite Surbhi Chandna.

On how he is juggling between the two, Dheeraj told IANS: "It is tough. But I have prepared myself mentally to put in all of my efforts towards the success of these shows.

"It is physically and mentally very demanding to be a part of two big shows but I feel that God put one in such a situation only because they know they can do it."

After doing several TV shows like 'Sasural Simar Ka', 'Kuch Toh Log Kahenge', 'Naagin 5' and many more, he finds 'Kundali Bhagya' closest to his heart.

He said: "Every show for me has been special. I cannot put a finger on that one show. But 'Kundali Bhagya' gave me a different identity and I will always remember it. 'Jhalak' too is special for me because it is my first ever reality show."

The actor furthermore shares about how he prepares himself for giving his best as a dancer in front of the judges like Bollywood star Madhuri Dixit, filmmaker Karan Johar and actress and dancer Nora Fatehi.

Dheeraj added: "More than physical preparation I feel preparing myself mentally is very important. And I believe that if I am mentally prepared then nothing is impossible. Also, despite my tough schedule I make it a point to go for my rehearsal no matter what."

Dheeraj recently embraced fatherhood and the couple posted pictures on social media. When asked about how he views fatherhood, he replied: "Nothing can be compared to the feeling of becoming a father. It is one of the purest feelings on this planet.

"Honestly speaking, it is difficult to be away but I would also like to say that seeing my baby after I come home makes me forget all my problems."

He is all praise for his dance partner on the show and choreographer Sneha Singh. "Sneha is an amazing choreographer and we have a gala time rehearsing," he said. "It is a perfect blend of hard work and fun that we as a team have. On the sets we are very focussed towards our performance."

Dheeraj at first was not interested in becoming an actor. "Initially I wanted to become a ramp model, but soon I realised that I was not tall enough," Dheeraj said. "This made me focus on prints modelling and shoot and through that I got my first ever show. I have had a smooth journey in the industry actually and there has been no struggle.

"After every show that I finished, I got my next show. Today I am happy that I am known for more than just my good looks. And with Jhalak I hope people see my journey as a dancer."

Talking about his future projects, he said: "I have been in talks for a few OTT and Bollywood projects but I don't want to do it for the sake of it. If I am doing an OTT project or a Bollywood film it will be something out of the box and something worth it."

--IANS
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New Delhi, Sep 4 (IANS) Fintech major Paytm on Sunday said that the search operations by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at six different locations in Bengaluru were carried out on merchants which were independent entities, and none of them were Paytm's group entities.

In a statement, One 97 Communications Ltd, which is the parent company of Paytm, clarified that none of the funds which have been instructed to be frozen belong to Paytm or any of its group companies.

The ED said on Saturday that it carried out search operations at six different locations in Bengaluru in connection with its probe into the Chinese loan apps fraud case.

The financial probe agency said it raided the premises associated with Paytm, Razorpay and Cashfree, all payment gateways which allegedly facilitated transactions on loan apps unauthorisedly run by Chinese-owned firms.

The company said that as a part of ongoing investigations on a specific set of merchants, "the ED has sought information regarding such merchants to whom we provide payment processing solutions".

"It is hereby clarified that these merchants are independent entities, and none of them are our group entities. We are, and will continue to, fully cooperate with the authorities, and all the directive actions are being duly complied with," said the company.

Paytm further said that that the "ED has instructed us to freeze certain amounts from the Merchant IDs (MIDs) of a specific set of merchant entities".

According to the ED, during the search operation, it was noticed that the said entities were generating proceeds of crime through various merchant IDs/accounts held with payment gateways/banks.

"They were also not operating from the addresses given on the MCA website/registered address. An amount of Rs 17 crore has been seized in merchant IDs and bank accounts of these Chinese-owned entities," said the agency.

A Cashfree spokesperson said that the company extended diligent co-operation to the ED operations, providing them the required and necessary information on the same day of enquiry.

"Our operations and on-boarding processes adhere to the PMLA and KYC directions, and we will continue to do so," said the spokesperson.

A Razorpay spokesperson said that some of its merchants were being investigated by the law enforcement about a year and a half back.

"As part of the ongoing investigation, the authorities requested additional information to help with the investigation. We have fully cooperated and shared KYC and other details. The authorities were satisfied by our due diligence process," said the company.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Sep 4 (IANS) Protesting against the price hike at the 'Mehngai Par Halla Bol rally' at Ramlila Maidan here, the youth Congress workers organised a unique stall 'Degree Holder Shoes polish, Pakoda stall' outside the venue.

The Congress has organised the rally to raise the issue of price rise, unemployment and economic slowdown which has hurled the people of the country.

The stall has been symbolically opened to protest against the rising prices and the GST rate hike on edible oil and other daily use commodities, said the youth Congress workers.

"Through this symbolic protest, we want to convey the message to our prime minister who once said 'fry the pakodas' on the issue of employment. But even this is not possible under this draconian price hike for the youths of the country," said a member of Rajasthan youth Congress.

Even, GST has been implemented on every domestic commodities. The price of edible oil has historically reached to Rs 200 per kg, which is an impossible situation for the poor, he said.

"This is our halla bol against the price rise and unemployment that has landed the country into economic despair," youth Congress worker said.

The Mehangai Par Halla Rally will be addressed by former party chief Rahul Gandhi and several other senior leaders at the Ramlila Maidan in Central Delhi. The party workers have been gathering at the maidan for the rally since morning.

As per the Congress leaders, about a lakh people will attend the rally.

--IANS
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By Deepika Bhan
New Delhi, Sep 4 (IANS) The yet-to-be-announced Assembly elections in J&K have a lot at stake for the political parties in the Union Territory. While the BJP may be preparing for the so far elusive Kashmir apple, others like the Abdullahs, Muftis and the rest are also keen to seize power again.


The BJP went into the 2014 Assembly polls in erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state with the 'Mission 44-plus', marking its intention to get a majority in the then 87-member House. It did well by winning 25 seats and occupying the position of a king-maker then.

The rise of the BJP did happen in J&K, but it could not secure anything in Kashmir. The wins were in Hindu-majority Jammu while Muslim-majority Kashmir said a big no. The party not only drew a blank in the valley, all its 34 candidates lost their deposits.

Today, when talk of Assembly elections is doing the rounds, the BJP is readying for the poll battle -- to retain and improve on the 25 seats in Jammu and to make a good showing in Kashmir.

In the first-ever DDC elections in 2020, which were like a mini Assembly polls, the BJP was the biggest gainer while the PDP and the Congress were the major losers. The BJP made an entry in the valley by winning three of the 140 seats.

This gave the BJP a glimmer of hope, but the Muslim dominated valley will prove to be a tough call. For the BJP, making inroads into the valley's political space is a stupendous task.

The UT has a large majority of Muslims - around 69 per cent as per the 2011 Census -- but there is a regional divide in the religious segments of population. Kashmir has an over 96 per cent Muslim population and only 2.5 per cent Hindus while Jammu has over 62 per cent Hindus and 33.5 per cent Muslims.

It is this religious divide that was reflected in the results then. The Modi wave, which had swept the country in 2014, also overtook the Hindu-dominated areas of J&K, giving the BJP 25 of the 37 seats in the then state.

Will a similar situation emerge if elections are held today in the UT?

For Jammu, things have changed after the emergence of the Modi-led government at the Centre. Before the abrogation of Article 370 and changing the status of J&K, Jammu and Ladakh have consistently nursed the feeling of being subjugated by a Kashmir-centric political narrative of both the Centre and the state.

After the breaking of the state, Ladakh has its independent identity now, Jammu has given wide space to the BJP.

The number of Assembly seats has increased by six in Jammu and one in Kashmir. Jammu has got its share of development which in the previous regimes was lop-sided towards Kashmir.

With Jammu also getting an AIIMS, IIT, industrial zones, and other such benefits, the summer capital for the first time in 75 years is seeing itself being considered as an equal to the valley.

What happened in 2014 was repeated in the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. The BJP won two LS seats in Jammu and also improved its vote share in the sensitive border state -- from 34.40 per cent in 2014 to 46.4 per cent in 2019.

With the party strongly entrenched in Jammu, the BJP knows that it is here to stay. In fact, Jammu was the first place where Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a visit and addressed a mammoth gathering on April 27 after the scrapping of Article 370, thereby giving due importance to his support base.

After the delimitation and the updation of the electoral rolls, the prospects of the BJP will improve more in Jammu. Apart from the new electors, 54,945 refugee families who came from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) would also get the right to vote in the Assembly elections for the first time in 75 years.

So would the thousands of Valmikis, who were brought into the J&K by earlier rulers to work as safai karamcharis and scavengers from Punjab. By giving them the domicile certificates and the right to vote in the local polls, the BJP can be assured of the number.

While Jammu continues to be the favourite with the BJP, it is Kashmir where the challenge is. In the 47 seats in the Kashmir Valley, the BJP may not find it easy to open its account. Largely seen as a pro-Hindu party, Kashmir's Muslim majority is likely to favour the traditional parties - the National Conference, the PDP or others.

With terrorism still not curbed, the fear of the gun has not diminished. The valley has witnessed targeted killings of Kashmiri Pandits, non-locals, policemen, and BJP workers and leaders. The Pakistan-backed separatist lobby has been checked to a large extent that has helped end the stone pelting and every day bandh calls. But the growing radicalisation and waning of the age-old Sufism, is not helping the BJP enter the valley on a large-scale.

The Kashmir arithmetic does not favour the BJP, due to which it will not be able to get the magic figure to form the government. Hence, it will have to go for alliances in Kashmir. And perhaps, Ghulam Nabi Azad's entry in the political arena could benefit both. There is also the Apni Party and Sajjad Lone's party which are generally seen as Centre-pipped parties.

For the BJP the J&K Assembly elections may be a mission needed to be accomplished for showcasing to the country and the world.

(Deepika Bhan can be contacted at deepika.b@ians.in)

--IANS
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Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 4 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah urged the southern states to explore joint solutions to issues related to sharing of river water. He was speaking while chairing the 30th Southern Zonal Council meeting of southern states and Union Territories in Kerala's state capital on Saturday.

Shah also appealed the southern Chief Ministers to tackle the drug menace that is plaguing the country in a joint manner. He urged the states to hold regular meetings of the Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD) for tackling the problem of narcotics. He said that the Union Home Ministry had tried to crack down on the issue of narcotics trade with full focus.

During the 30th meeting of Southern Zonal Council, 26 issues were discussed, nine issues resolved and 17 issues reserved for further consideration. Of these, 17 issues reserved for consideration, nine were related to reorganisation of Andhra Pradesh.

The Union Home Minister urged Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to mutually resolve pending issues related to the bifurcation of the state. He said that there was huge potential for trade and export of marine products in the region and added that of 3,461 fishing villages in the country, 1,763 were in south India.

He said that QR-enabled PVC Aadhaar cards have been issued to more than 12 lakh fishermen. The Union Home Minister added that this would help their identification and also increase the country's maritime security.

Shah said that states should provide banking facilities within five kilometre of every village. He also urged the state Chief Ministers to persuade cooperative banks to open branches.

He added that if banks are opened in villages with good frequency, it would enable the direct transfer of government schemes directly to the beneficiaries.


--IANS
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