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World Cup 2015: South Africa World Cup thrash West Indies

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AB De Villiers

by BBC Sport

AB de Villiers hit the fastest ever 150 in one-day internationals as South Africa condemned West Indies to a crushing 257-run defeat in Sydney.

De Villiers took 64 deliveries to reach 150, beating the previous best, set by Australia’s Shane Watson, by 19 balls.

He finished 162 not out from 66 balls as South Africa made 408-5, the second-highest total in World Cups.

Imran Tahir took 5-45 as West Indies were 151 all out, equalling the heaviest World Cup defeat by runs.

Only last month, De Villiers hit the fastest-ever ODI hundred against the same team in Johannesburg, from 31 balls.

In that same innings, South Africa’s captain also set the record for the fastest fifty in ODIs, from 16 balls.

The Proteas made a sluggish start and were 87-1 after 20 overs, before De Villiers came to the crease in the 30th over with his side 146-3.

De Villiers put on 134 with Rilee Rossouw (61 from 39) and South Africa scored 222 from the last 15 overs.

West Indies captain Jason Holder’s last two overs went for 64 runs, with one over going for 34. De Villiers finished with 17 fours and eight sixes, more than he had dot balls.

South Africa’s total was the highest by any team in Australia and only India’s 413-5 against Bermuda at Port of Spain in 2007 (which also finished in a 257-run victory for India) is higher in World Cups.

Hashim Amla (65) and Faf du Plessis (62) also made fifties for South Africa, while Holder, who conceded just nine runs in his first five overs, finished with figures of 1-104 off 10, the most expensive in World Cup history.

West Indies opener Chris Gayle, who scored the first double-hundred in World Cups against Zimbabwe on Tuesday, scored only three before he was bowled by Kyle Abbott.

Only Dwayne Smith (31) offered any resistance as leg-spinner Tahir tore through the West Indies batting, becoming the first South African spinner to take five wickets in a World Cup match.

Amnesty's report details 'devastating year of mass violence'

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The human rights of men, women and children are being trampled upon according to Amnesty. Photo: UNICEF/Alessio Romenzi

The human rights of men, women and children are being trampled upon according to Amnesty. Photo: UNICEF/Alessio Romenzi

by Mike Wooldridge, BBC

Amnesty International’s newly published annual report makes for decidedly sober reading.

But that’s to be expected given the atrocities committed in Syria, Iraq, Nigeria, Central African Republic and other countries.

“This has been a devastating year for those seeking to stand up for human rights and for those caught up in the suffering of war zones,” the secretary general of Amnesty International, Salil Shetty, wrote in the foreword.

And the human rights campaigning group strongly criticises governments.

“In the year marking the 20th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide, politicians repeatedly trampled on the rules protecting civilians, or looked away from the deadly violations of these rules committed by others,” Mr Shetty said.

“The United Nations was established 70 years ago to ensure that we would never again see the horrors witnessed in the Second World War.

“We are now seeing violence on a mass scale and an enormous refugee crisis caused by that violence.

“There has been a singular failure to find workable solutions to the most pressing needs of our time.”

‘Powerful signal’

One such workable solution, Amnesty International suggests, would be for the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – the United States, China, Russia, France and Britain – to agree not to use their right of veto to block action in response to situations of genocide and other mass atrocities.

Salil Shetty takes the view that this would be a “game changer” for the international community and the tools it has at its disposal to help protect civilian lives,

He also believed it would send a powerful signal to perpetrators that the world would not sit idly by while mass atrocities took place.

The idea that the five powers would voluntarily renounce their veto rights in such circumstances has been around for some time.

Indeed the French government has been at the forefront of such an initiative, and it seems to have been gathering momentum.

Amnesty says it intends to get the weight and influence of its seven million supporters and activists behind it.

It argues that if the use of the veto in the Security Council had already been restrained in this way then it could have prevented Russia using its veto repeatedly to block UN action over the violence in Syria.

This might have resulted in President Bashar al-Assad being referred to the International Criminal Court, in achieving greater access for badly needed humanitarian aid and in further ways of helping civilians.

The British government has not yet made a specific commitment in favour of the voluntary renunciation of the veto.

But the Foreign Office said in response to the Amnesty report: “The proposal put forward by France offers an important contribution to the wider debate on reform of the Security Council.

“The United Kingdom wholeheartedly supports the principle that the Security Council must act to stop mass atrocities and crimes against humanity.

“We cannot envisage circumstances where we would use our veto to block such action.”

Amnesty International fears that 2015 could be another bleak year for human rights.

It predicts that more civilian populations will be forced to live under the quasi-state control of brutal armed groups.

There will be deepening threats to freedom of expression and other rights including violations caused by new draconian anti-terror laws and unjustified mass surveillance.

It also says and there will be a worsening humanitarian and refugee crisis.

But Amnesty says its aim is to get governments to “stop pretending that the protection of civilians is beyond their power”.

Cycle of violence

It acknowledges that the coming into force last year of the Arms Trade Treaty was a success. But it wants much more to be done to tackle what it calls “the bloody legacy of the flooding of weapons into countries where they are used for grave abuses by states and armed groups”.

Anna Neistat, Amnesty’s senior director for research, said: “Huge arms shipments were delivered to Iraq, Israel, South Sudan and Syria in 2014 despite the very high likelihood that these weapons would be used against civilian populations trapped in conflict.

“When IS took control of large parts of Iraq it found large arsenals, ripe for the picking.”

The human rights group also argues that further restrictions on the use of explosive weapons, which cannot be precisely targeted or which otherwise have wide effect in populated areas, could have helped to save thousands of lives lost in recent conflicts.

If Amnesty is robust in its challenge to governments, the British government maintains that it is an exaggeration to accuse the international community of paralysis.

The Foreign Office said the Security Council had acted effectively on a number of issues over the past year for example, 100,000 peacekeepers were deployed globally, to address conflicts and help states build peaceful societies.

“The underlying drivers of abuse are discrimination, impunity and inequality,” said Mr Shetty.

“If we do not stop these, all we will have is a cycle of violence.”

World Cup 2015: Mohammed Shami to miss UAE game due to knee injury

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mohammed-shami

Perth: India’s in-form seamer Mohammad Shami will miss Saturday’s World Cup clash against the United Arab Emirates in Perth due to a knee injury, a media release from the team said.

Shami has a mild left knee problem, the release said, adding that he was given a “an ultrasound guided injection” and asked to rest for the Pool B match.

The release did not say if the 24-year-old will be available for the next game against the West Indies in Perth on March 6.

The right-arm seamer has been India’s most successful bowler in the tournament with figures of four for 35 against Pakistan and two for 30 against South Africa.

India, the defending champions, have won both games to head the Pool with four points.

Seamer Bhuvaneshwar Kumar or all-rounder Stuart Binny may replace Shami for the UAE match.

(AFP)

Full text: Arnab Goswami violates norms of professionalism and fairness, say activists in open letter

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Arnab Goswami

Dear Mr Arnab Goswami,

We, the undersigned, who have on many occasions participated in the 9:00 p.m. News Hour programme on Times Now, anchored by you, wish to raise concerns about the shrinking space in this programme for reasoned debate and the manner in which it has been used to demonize people’s movements and civil liberties activists.

On 17th  and 18th February 2015, in the News Hour show , a section of activists were invited to contribute to the debate on the “offloading” of Greenpeace representative Priya Pillai. Right from the start, the activists were denied the right to articulate their views. Not only were their mikes at times muted, they were repeatedly heckled and subjected to hate speech, with you, as the anchor, encouraging, even orchestrating and amplifying these responses.

We would like to make it clear here that the point to note is not our personal hurt, humiliation or the lack of respect shown to us from the other panelists, the anchor, or the channel. We also recognize that combative questions could be put to us when we participate in such a programme and that people may express their disagreements in a heated manner.

But we do object, and take serious exception, to the repeated branding of activists as ‘anti-national’ or ‘unpatriotic’ – words that are terms of abuse and hate-speech, and that can, when repeated ad nauseam in an influential media space, have serious repercussions. Rights activists, public figures and defendants in legal cases have been subjected to hate crimes, and even killed, in the country.

The media, which has a duty to conduct itself responsibly, cannot be allowed to aggravate the vulnerability of human rights activists, who are already being targeted, vilified and demonized, by the state and other vested and dominant interests.

We are aware that on earlier occasions, too, many other guests at the News Hour studios have also been subjected to similar treatment by anchors like you or your colleagues. In the process, debates and discussions on important subjects of national import have been reduced to a one-sided harangue, with differing and dissenting voices being deliberately stifled. Loose allegations have been made about them, aspersions cast on their motives, and insinuations made about their patriotism, with all obligations of the media to conduct  themselves in a neutral, fair and accurate manner being flung to the winds.

Our objection is not restricted to the occasions when activists have been subjected to this treatment. We find it equally objectionable when guests with points of view opposed to our own, are at the receiving end. We seek media space for rational presentation of arguments – our own as well as those whom we may disagree with, not for endorsement of our points of view by the media.

We believe it is important to seek transparency and accountability from the media. We are concerned when journalistic ethics outlined by the National Broadcasting Authority are willfully and habitually violated. We would like to cite here relevant portions of the Code of Ethics issued by the NBA.

“News shall not be selected or designed to promote any particular belief, opinion or desires of any interest group….

“Broadcasters shall ensure a full and fair presentation of news as the same is the fundamental responsibility of each news channel. Realizing the importance of presenting all points of view in a democracy, the broadcasters should, therefore, take responsibility in ensuring that controversial subjects are fairly presented, with time being allotted fairly to each point of view….

“TV News channels must provide for neutrality by offering equality for all affected parties, players and actors in any dispute or conflict to present their point of view. Though neutrality does not always come down to giving equal space to all sides (news channels shall strive to give main view points of the main parties) news channels must strive to ensure that allegations are not portrayed as fact and charges are not conveyed as an act of guilt.”

“… avoid… broadcasting content that is malicious, biased, regressive, knowingly inaccurate, hurtful, misleading….”

The television shows cited here were designed to canvas certain views held by the Government and the Intelligence Bureau and appeared as a platform for the public heckling and jeering of the activists involved, not just by other panelists but by the  anchor himself. Far from maintaining neutrality and professionalism, you as the anchor were blatantly and aggressively opinionated, and never once provided the space for guests, whose views differed with yours, to voice their own opinions without continuous interruption and heckling. Apart from the fact that a fair allotment of time to them was never made, never once did you as the anchor consider the legitimate questions they raised as worthy of a response.

Not surprisingly then, an opportunity to question the accusations raised by the Government was not allowed. Instead, Government allegations were presented as self-evident facts by you as the anchor. You went on to claim that you had the ‘facts’ to prove the ‘anti-national’ character of one organization in particular and activists in general. While the responses of the activists on these panel were deliberately distorted, you as the anchor insinuated baselessly that the said activists were employing ‘hackers’, and that they had ‘deposed against India’.

We know that a similar scenario has been played out on many other occasions on the Newshour. The label ‘anti-national’ is attributed to invited guests without any basis in fact or law, as a term of abuse and hate-speech. Similar terms, used as forms of hate-speech, include, ‘Naxal’, ‘terrorist’, ‘terrorist sympathiser’.

It is inappropriate and irresponsible for channels to label anyone as ‘nationalist’ or ‘anti-national’ or ‘terrorist’ or the like. If panelists indulge in such terms, it is in fact the duty of the anchor to rein them in, and to ensure that such loaded and provocative words are not used to drown out the substantive points of the discussion or disagreement.

For moderators of the debate to allow such terms to be hurled at participants, and in fact to endorse and repeat such terms, is a gross abuse of the media’s immense power.

On one previous Newshour show on sexual violence in December 2013, intended ironically to mark the first anniversary of the ‘Nirbhaya’ rape, a prominent panelist on your programme repeatedly shouted that the two feminists on the panel were ‘Naxals who believed in free sex’. As such, the words ‘Naxalite’ and ‘free sex’ need not be pejorative. All sex should indeed be free. But in this case the terms were used as tools of abuse, equivalent to ‘terrorist’ and ‘slut’, in order to detract from reasoned argument.

Surely, even debates involving  panelists’ views on, or association with, the Naxalite movement in India, have to be conducted fairly and reasonably, without allowing the term ‘Naxal’ to be used as a form of abuse or to heckle a participant. Surely, even if participants and guests support self-determination in Kashmir; or are representatives of another country; or hold an abolitionist view on the death penalty; a news channel inviting them to express their views has the obligation to allow them to do so without being branded as ‘terrorists’ or ‘anti-nationals.’ If the Government can have talks with organisations who hold these opinions, or with leaders of these countries, they are surely entitled to be heard on national television with a modicum of dignity?

In protest against the vilification of activists and dissenting opinions, and the violation of the basic norms of professionalism, neutrality, reasonableness and fairness, we have for the present decided to stay away from Times Now debates. The purpose of this gesture of protest is to demand accountability of the television media, including Times Now, to the norms outlined by the NBA’s Code of Ethics. We take this step as an effort to promote public debate and a responsible engagement with opposing ideas and stances in order to deepen democracy.

Sincerely,

Vrinda Grover – Lawyer, Supreme Court of India

Sudha Ramalingam, Lawyer, Madras High Court and Civil liberties Activist

Pamela Philipose, Feminist and Senior Journalist

Aruna Roy, Right to Information, NREGA and Democratic Rights Activist

Anjali Bharadwaj, Right to Information Activist

Kavita Krishnan, Women’s movement and Left Activist

Kavita Srivastava, Women’s movement and Civil Liberties activist

Here is the programme in question.

"Documentary films are the most effective & the most powerful tools of change": Mike Pandey

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An interview with Mike Pandey – President Of Indian Documentary Producers Association (IDPA)

Mike_PANDEY

by Shaheen Raaj

Mike Pandey, an Indian filmmaker specializing in making films on wild life & environmental issues, needs no special introduction. He has won over 300 awards till date, for his work to spread awareness about biodiversity & species conservation. Mike Pandey is now working on his latest documentary,’ The Return Of The Tiger’, which is also supported by Bollywood actors Amitabh Bachchan & John Abraham. And since he became the president of the Indian Documentary Producers Association (IDPA), he is doing his best to support the Indian documentary filmmakers to address all their grievances.

What is the current scenario of documentary filmmaking movement?

The documentary filmmaking movement is gaining momentum. In fact the entire scenario & genre of documentary filmmaking is now changing as documentary films are the most effective and the most powerful tools of change.

IDPA has been instrumental in bringing about a lot of encouraging changes as far as Documentary filmmaking is concerned. Comment.

That’s right. And to top it all there is also a good piece of news as after a rigorous & arduous struggle of 5 long years, IDPA has just been successful in signing an MoU with the Government of India that will enable the documentary filmmakers to showcase their films on Doordarshan’s National Channel every week on Sundays and as and when more documentaries will come in then DD National will telecast these documentaries 4 to 5 times a week.

How else will the Documentary filmmakers benefit by this MoU?

Of course the initiative that we have taken with the Government regarding this MoU will certainly benefit them as the filmmakers whose documentaries are telecast will also receive a substantial remuneration which they can reuse it to make other documentaries. And if the telecasted documentaries happens to be an award winning ones then they will also be paid a bonus amount to encourage them to make more such educative, informative, meaningful & entertaining documentaries.

What other initiative has IDPA taken to boost the Documentary filmmakers?

The Indian Documentary Producers Association has also taken an initiative to set up a welfare trust for the documentary filmmakers to bail them out financially on the grounds of their medical crisis. That apart it is also trying to address the needs & the grievances of all the documentary filmmakers.

What other steps are now being taken by IDPA to further the Documentary filmmaking movement?

Frankly speaking at this stage what we at IDPA feel and which is also the need of the hour is that we need to fill up a vast vacuum of really good educational documentary films for children. And we are also trying to get the support of the Government to have an independent documentary channel. As this is the main grievance of the documentary filmmakers that the Government, which honors them with awards galore for their par excellence documentaries, is itself refusing to showcase them on its own platform namely DD National. Besides we are also trying to work on the concept of ‘Playschool’, on the lines of BBC Channel, to showcase inspirational films for children.

Does IDPA lays the blame only on Doordarshan for this step motherly treatment meted out to them?

No, not at all. What’s the point in blaming Doordarshan alone as other channels like BBC and other Satellite Channels too are also refusing to showcase our films. Documentary Filmmakers in general and documentary films in particular are still looked down upon by one & all concerned. In fact the situation is still prevailing as the documentary filmmakers and our films are still meted out a step motherly treatment, more especially by the people who really matters.

So what steps is IDPA taking in this regard?

What can we at IDPA do in this regard. We are just feeling helpless. But of course we are trying our level best to seek Government & some private agencies support to pool in more resources. in fact we are also on the look out for Corporate Social Responsibility funds (CSR) too. CSR is an annual fund of 2% of a businessmen’s profits, which is culled out by them for social work which can really, really help the documentary filmmakers in the long run to make good documentary films as even they in their turn are doing a social service by making educative, informative, meaningful & entertaining docu films for the people at large. In fact many donors are now coming forward to be a part of this initiative.

By the way recently IDPA had also offered some suggestions to IFFI director Shankar Mohan. Right?

Yes Indeed! As the International Film Festival Of India (IFFI Goa) is getting really bigger & better now. We have 2 Baby dreams and as suggested to the Festival Director Shankar Mohan we hope that it is really, really fulfilled and that is to have a separate enclosure in the next IFFI to screen documentary films with separate TV Screens or Computer Monitors so that people are not disappointed in the on rush of the feature films. And secondly we also suggested that there should be a specially created Documentary Lounge’ where all the documentary filmmakers can have an interchange of ideas, other discussions et al. In which both Indian & Foreign documentary filmmakers can view, buy or sell each other’s films.

And lastly what is the advice that you would like to give to the tribe of Documentary filmmakers?

I would like to give a cautionary advice to all the documentary filmmakers to make good, meaningful, informative, entertaining & socially relevant docu films and most importantly their film’s content should be good and their story telling must be powerful enough to have an impactful lasting impression. Period!

PFI clarifies on Shivamogga rally, blames Sangh Parivar for clashes

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(Representative image)

(Representative image)

Mangaluru: Popular Front of India (PFI) has issued a press statement clarifying on its recent Shivamogga rally and the subsequent clashes that resulted in the death of one person and injuries to some, and arrest of a few.

“We want to state the truth. With the help of a small group of media, communalists are trying to spread wrong news and the Sangh Parivar has been adding fuel to the fire,” the PFI media release states.

“Shivamogga convention which was scheduled for February 17 was postponed on account of Shivaratri festival and was held on February 19 instead. Around 15,000 people who participated in the procession rally were shouting slogans against communalists, anti-people policies of government and human rights violations. When the rally reached Gandhi Bazar, some Sangh Parivar activists started pelting stones and bottles. PFI volunteers tried to prevent people from getting incited. But when the stone-pelting continued, police resorted to lathi charge to control that but the participants of the rally were also targeted later without any warning. Police need to give explanation for the same.

“But the volunteers handled the situation well and the convention started peacefully at 6 pm. But during the convention goons from Sangh Parivar set fire to vehicles, shops and a house. Twelve persons were injured when stones were pelted at a mosque. The people who came from Chikkamagaluru, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada were targeted and in the ensuing clashes, 17 were injured and one person died. As many as 35 cars, three mini buses and nine buses were damaged. It is not yet certain as to who were involved in the clashes,” the statement reads.

“BJP leaders have influenced the police to arrest innocent Muslim youths. They wanted to target PFI leaders. Police have illegally arrested people from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Chikkamagaluru and other places. A similar type of convention was held on February 21 in Chamarajanagar which went on peacefully. Police also handled the situation well there. We request everyone to support us to counter anti-national elements. We also urge the state government to show no mercy to these anti social powers.

“We demand justice in the Shivamogga incident. There is no doubt that it was a pre-planned attack. The state government should not show any mercy to such forces. We will continue to fight against communal forces and we stand by the people affected by the incident.” the statement from PFI concludes.

Mufti Sayeed to head 25-member cabinet in J&K; PM to attend his swearing-in on March 1

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Mufti Mohammad Sayeed

New Delhi: PDP patron Mufti Mohammed Sayeed will head a 25-member cabinet, half of it from BJP, in Jammu and Kashmir and the swearing-in ceremony on Sunday in Jammu will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

With the PDP-BJP deal sealed after ironing out differences over contentions issues like Article 370 and AFSPA, 79-year- old Sayeed, who will be sworn in as Chief Minister, met the Prime Minister today, capping two-month long hard negotiations between the two parties on government formation.

According to highly-placed sources, Sayeed will be heading a 25-member cabinet which will have 12 BJP MLAs including a Deputy Chief Minister post. This is the first time that BJP is in the government in the state.

Accompanied by chief interlocutor of PDP Haseeb Drabu, Sayeed had a nearly one-hour long meeting with Modi during which he extended invitation to the PM for attending the swearing-in ceremony at Jammu on March one.

Modi and Sayeed were all smiles as they hugged and posed for cameras with their photographs trending on social networks within minutes.

“I have extended invitation to the Prime Minister for attending the ceremony and he has agreed,” Sayeed told reporters after the meeting at PM’s official residence at 7, Race Course Road.

He refused to answer any specific questions on controversial issues like Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) or Article 370 and said the Common Minimum programme (CMP) will be announced at 3 PM on Sunday.

He said lot of discussions have taken place for the past two months to forge a common ground, a common agenda. He equated the PDP-BJP coalition with “bringing together of North Pole with South Pole”.

“The mandate of election is clear that PDP is the choice of people in Kashmir and BJP in Jammu. So we decided that we will unite together to give a government which will give all round development to all the regions in the state,” he said.

“It was discussed how a stable government should be formed. The PDP was of the view that we should not allow the opportunity to go waste as it was a historic opportunity with the government at the Centre that has a clear mandate of people to deliver,” he said.

Sayeed, who will be returning to power after a gap of more than nine years, backed Modi’s slogan, saying, “I also want Sab ka saath, sab ka vikas (development for all).” He was the Chief Minister of the state from November, 2002 to 2005.

When asked about Article 370 which gives special status to the state and AFSPA, Sayeed said, “Leave these issues. These are not issues. We have to do all this (hame karna padta hai)…All this will come in the Common Minimum Programme which will be announced after the swearing-in.”

Asked whether PDP was joining NDA at the Centre, Sayeed said, “it is too early to say that. Ministers will be decided soon. We have found common ground.”

To a question whether the CMP was for governance or for political alliance, he said, “It (the alliance) is both for political and governance. First political and then governance. When political atmosphere will be right then only governance will take place.”

Questioned whether it is a tough road ahead, Sayeed said, “I think it is alright. The PM also has a vision. I think he also understands that it (the alliance) has to be made to work.”

“Both regions (Kashmir and Jammu) should be brought together. On external dimension (mending ties with Pakistan), policy of Atal Bihari Vajpayee should be carried forward. Modiji has agreed,” he said.

The PDP patron said he aims to give a “healing touch” as anguish in one part of the huge country is not a good thing.

“My view was that an opportunity has come that Jammu region and Kashmir region will come together. If BJP got mandate in Jammu and PDP in Kashmir Valley, therefore they have got support of people. There is credibility. When they will merge, it will be dejure. It takes six hours from Jammu to the Valley, but opportunity is there to connect hearts and minds of people,” he said.

Sayeed said second aspect is when former Prime Minister Vajpayee visited Kashmir in 2002-03, he started a journey of friendship in Srinagar.

“He extended a hand of friendship towards Pakistan, saying we can change friends but not our neighbours. So (the then Pakistan President Pervez) Musharraf also responded. It is the dream of the Prime Minister and mine to develop Kashmir as an ‘island of peace’. So, in that process, it is necessary to engage Pakistan,” he said.

“….so I want to repeat history. Today, the Prime Minister has mandate of the people. He has got full legitimacy to deliver,” he said.

The December 23 election results saw a highly-fractured mandate with PDP emerging as single-largest party with 28 MLAs followed by BJP with 25. Erstwhile allies National Conference and Congress ended with 15 and 12 seats respectively.

BJP and PDP, which have been in negotiations for nearly two months now, have sorted out all the differences over Article 370, Armed Forces Special Powers Act, resettlement of West Pakistan Refugees and holding of talks with Pakistan and separatist leaders of the state.

(PTI)

Muzaffarnagar: Falah-e-Aam housing colony for riot victims inaugurated

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Photo: IndiaTomorrow.net

Photos: IndiaTomorrow

New Delhi: Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has donated 88 new homes to as many families whose homes were looted and torched during the Sep 2013 Muzaffarnagar riot and they had since been living in community-run make-shift relief camps. More than one hundred people were killed and thousands were rendered homeless during the riot.

At a ceremony at Parsoli area of Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh recently, Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umari, the National President of JIH, inaugurated the newly constructed Falah-e-Aam Colony and handed over keys of new homes to the riot victim families.

Falah-e-Aam

Falah-e-Aam

JIH had bought eight bighas of land and constructed 88 houses on it. Each house has cost Jamaat Rs 2.4 lakh. The colony also has a Masjid, a community centre and a primary school.

“We are happy to get a home here, we are thankful to Jamaat,” said Tabassum, one of the beneficiaries standing outside her flat in the Falah-e Aam Colony. Tabassum, a native of Hasanpur village in Muzaffarnagar, has her husband and three young daughters.

Mohammad Qasim is another beneficiary. Originally from Lisarh village, he has also got a flat in JIH’s colony. “For the last two years since after the riot, we had been living in a make-shift relief camp. We had hoped that we will get a home from the government. We have got one from Jamaat. We have forgot our own home which was looted and torched by rioters,” said Qasim standing along with his family inside the Flat No. 3.

Addressing the program, Maulana Umari said: “Whenever a natural or man-made calamity has hit any area of the country, JIH has rushed to help the victims irrespective of their region or religion. We do it on humanitarian ground.”

He also said that JIH has constructed such colonies for riot victims in Gujarat and Assam also.

On the occasion, JIH also felicitated some Hindus who saved several Muslims during the Muzaffarnagar riot.

Besides him, many central leaders of the JIH, including Mohammad Ahmed, Shafi Madani and Maulana Rafeeq Qasmi and Maulana Mohammad Yusuf Islahi were also present on the occasion.

Western UP zone leaders of the Jamaat including Maulana Inamullah Islahi, zonal president and Mohammad Alauddin, relief in-charge of the zone were present at the event.

Eminent dignitaries from the area including Asad Ghalib, Chairman, Sardhana Nagarpalika and Rashid Ali, Chairman, Kerana Nagarpalika attended the program. They appreciated JIH’s initiative.

As many as 40 new houses, a Masjid, a primary school, a maktab and community hall will also be constructed soon by the JIH in the riot hit area.

(Agencies)

Ranji Trophy: 22 wickets fall on day one as Karnataka and Mumbai slug it out in semis

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Vinay Kumar (centre) rattled the Mumbai batting on Day 1.

Vinay Kumar (centre) rattled the Mumbai batting on Day 1.

Bengaluru: Karnataka captain R Vinay Kumar led from the front with a six-wicket haul that sent Mumbai crashing to a lowly 44 in their first innings on Day 1 of the Ranji Trophy semi-final, which saw 21 wickets fall, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru, on Wednesday.

Except for Shreyas Iyer, who scored 15, and Suryakumar Yadav (12), no other Mumbai batsmen got into double digit scores, as the 40-time champions registered their second lowest total in the history of the Ranji Trophy, with Vinay claiming six for 20 in eight overs. The resurgent Mumbai side’s total was only better than their lowest score of 42 all out against Gujarat in the 1977-78 season.

With a lead of 158 runs, Karnataka were at the receiving end in their second essay, ending the day on 10 for 2 from five overs.

Robin Uthappa (4), who top-scored with 68 in the first innings, and K L Rahul (2) were the batsmen dismissed.

Earlier, Mumbai pacer Shardul Thakur took four wickets as Karnataka were dismissed for 202 in their first innings after electing to bat first.

However, the defending champions struck back with a vengeance to claim a 158-run first innings lead.

For Mumbai, all-rounder Abhishek Nayar was unable to bat because of an injury sustained when on the field, after which he was taken to hospital.

Vinay gave Karnataka the perfect start as he struck with the second ball of the innings, getting opener Akhil Herwadkar leg before wicket for a duck.

Iyer attempted to steady the ship for a few overs before he was trapped leg before wicket by Abhimanyu Mithun.

India discard Vinay then took over the show, running through Mumbai’s middle order.

Mumbai captain Aditya Tare was caught behind for nine and Siddhesh Lad was caught at square leg off the very next delivery for a duck, in the seventh over of the innings.

Nikhil Patil (2) and Wilkin Mota (0) also fell off successive deliveries, giving Vinay his five-wicket haul.

Shardul had a wild swing against Vinay but was caught by KL Rahul for six before left-hander Harmeet Singh was leg before wicket by Arvind Sreenath in the next over for a duck. Sreenath also had Surya Kumar Yadav caught in the deep for 12.

Earlier, the in-form Thakur claimed four for 61, while Wilkin Mota took two for 18 as Karnataka collapsed after the dismissal of opener Robin Uthappa, who stroked a fluent 68, laced with 10 fours and a six.

Karun Nair was left stranded on 49, while Manish Pandey made 34 but the rest of the batsman failed to contribute with the bat for the defending champions.

India opener Rahul perished early when he pulled a short ball from Thakur straight into the hands of the fielder on the fine leg fence for 15 and R Samarth was run-out for a duck as the hosts slipped to 34 for two.

Uthappa and Pandey rallied Karnataka with a 81-run stand for the third wicket but the former’s dismissal saw Karnataka lose their way as wickets kept tumbling at regular intervals.

(Agencies)

Cricket World Cup: Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh

by

Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara scored hundreds as Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by 92 runs in their World Cup Pool A clash in Melbourne.

Sangakkara_dilshan

by BBC Sport

Dilshan (161 not out) and Sangakkara (105 not out) shared a partnership of 210 as Sri Lanka made the most of some poor fielding to post 332-1.

It was Dilshan’s 21st ODI ton and Sangakkara’s 22nd, in his 400th match.

Bangladesh were dismissed for 240 in 47 overs, Sabbir Rahman top-scoring with 53 and Lasith Malinga taking 3-35.

Sri Lanka have two wins and one defeat from three matches, while Bangladesh have one win, one defeat and one no result.

Bangladesh were dreadful in the field, reprieving Sri Lanka opening batsman Lahiru Thirimanne three times before he was finally dismissed for a charmed 52.

The Tigers’ wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim was particularly culpable, missing a stumping chance to dismiss Thirimanne and a run-out chance when Dilshan was well short of his ground in the 43rd over.

Sangakkara was dropped twice on his way to his hundred, which came from only 73 balls. Dilshan’s 161, which came from 146 balls, was his highest score in ODIs.

In reply, Bangladesh lost opener Tamim Iqbal from the second ball of the innings when he was bowled by seamer Malinga.

Shakib Al Hasan gave his team faint hope but after he was dismissed for an entertaining 46, Bangladesh’s challenge petered out.

Sabbir’s maiden ODI fifty came from 60 balls but Malinga did for him and Taskin in successive balls to wrap up the Bangladesh innings.

Sri Lanka’s next match is against England in Auckland on Saturday, while Bangladesh face Scotland in Nelson on Wednesday.

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