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Rajasthan Royals to replace banned Steve Smith with South Africa’s Heinrich Klaasen

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South Africa’s hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batsman Heinrich Klaasen has replaced Steve Smith in the Rajasthan Royals’ squad for the coming Indian Premier League (IPL) season, after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) barred the Australia captain from participation in the league, following his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal and subsequent ban by Cricket Australia (CA).

“The Rajasthan Royals have picked Heinrich Klaasen as the replacement for Steve Smith. The wicketkeeper-batsman was picked for INR 50 lakh from the Registered and Available Player Pool (RAPP) list,” an IPL media advisory read.

Klaasen made his international debut during the ODI series on India’s recent tour of South Africa. He was also named the ‘Man of the Match’ in the second match of the series that India won 5-1
The South African was then rewarded for his impressive show with a T20I debut in the three-match series against India, which the visitors clinched 2-1.

“I am thankful to the Rajasthan Royals for giving me this opportunity and making me part of the squad,” said Klaasen. “It would be my first IPL and, in fact, my first ever visit to India, so I am really excited to be teaming up and sharing the dressing room with some great names.

“I have made it my mission to ensure my performance makes a large impact for my team in the tournament.”

Royals’ Head of Cricket, Zubin Bharucha, said: “We are delighted to have Klaasen onboard. His hard-hitting ability with plenty of options against spin makes him dangerous through the middle of an innings.

“What struck us about Klaasen, other than his ability to strike a ball, was his inherent hunger to make every opportunity count. This is a good space to be in as a cricketer and batsman. We look forward to working with Klaasen to ensure he has a great career in the IPL.”

Smith, meanwhile, was banned by CA for 12 months after admitting to his role in a plan, along with David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, to cheat by tampering with the ball in the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town.

The CA also banned Warner for 12 months and Bancroft for nine months.

Warner, who was scheduled to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, has also been barred by the BCCI from playing in the league. He has been replaced by England batsman Alex Hales in the Hyderabad squad.

In the absence of Smith and Warner, Rajasthan will be led by Ajinkya Rahane and Hyderabad by New Zealand’s Kane Williamson.

Family matters for JD(S)

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If Deve Gowda sticks to his plan, he will find it tough to appease his family members
The family that eats together stays together goes the popular saying. But for one of the most powerful political families of the state, the situation is more like ‘the family that contests in the polls together, stays together”.

JD(S) Supremo and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and his son former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy are often referred to as ‘kingmakers’ post polls, but now the biggest challenge before the JD(S) supremo is to see that all is well within the family.
The 85-year old patriarch is struggling to strike a balance among his family members. His recent statement that he is not interested in contesting the Lok Sabha elections next year and instead will field grandson Prajwal Revanna indicates that he sees Prajwal as his successor, who can guard the family’s Hassan fort. Sources close to the family believe that Prajwal does not seem happy with this decision and is keen on contesting the assembly polls. He is eyeing the Rajarajeshwari constituency in Bengaluru, it is learnt. His followers are learnt to have taken on to social media campaigns to express support to the ‘prince’ of the Gowda family.
Gowda had recently asserted that only two from the family (his sons) Kumaraswamy and HD Revanna, who have been in active politics for decades now, will contest polls.
Among aspirants from within the family are Kumaraswamy’s wife Anita, a former MLA, who lost Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. Revanna’s wife – Bhavani – is a Zilla Panchayat member and she also wants to be an MLA, it is learnt. Sources said ever since Prajwal has been given importance politically, supporters of Anita, who are also making attempts to bring her son actor Nikhil Gowda to political limelight believe that if Prajwal is given a ticket, then Anita is keen to contest from Channapatna.
JD(S) workers are also debating why Kumaraswamy recently announced he would contest from Channapatna and Ramanagaram. The former CM had earlier announced he would contest one seat from North Karnataka and another from South (this is why he had rented a house in Hubballi). Sources say this looks like a strategic move from Kumaraswamy. If he were to win both the seats, he may later vacate Channapatna in favour of his wife Anita. During one of the meets, Kumaraswamy had admitted he was under pressure from the party workers to field Anita from Channapatna.
Now, it looks like the total number of aspirants within the family touches six- HD Revanna, HD Kumaraswamy, Bhavani Revanna, Anita Kumaraswamy and then the third generation upcoming leaders, Nikhil Gowda and Prajwal Revanna. The battle doesn’t end here. Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mysore, Dr HC Rangappa is all set to contest from Chamaraja assembly seat and he happens to be the father in-law of Deve Gowda’s grand-daughter and also in the race is Gowda’s relative DC Thamanna from Maddur.

Opposition aligning with regional groups can’t be alternative to Modi: Raman Singh

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There can’t be a national alternative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the support of small regional groups, said Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh who feels that any opposition grouping will collapse due to inherent contradictions.

He also said that the loss of a couple of parliamentary bypolls will not make any difference to the Bharatiya Janata Party winning next year’s Lok Sabha elections.

“Once upon a time it was Indira (Gandhi) versus all and now it is Modiji versus all. This is happening because of Modiji’s rising popularity. Some smaller parties can polarise in an effort to stop him but they would not succeed. They cannot emerge victorious against Modiji’s popularity,” Singh, the longest serving Chief Minister of the BJP, told IANS in an interview.

He also wondered that since the Congress is not in power in many states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu how are they dreaming of returning to power in 2019.

“Where would they get support from. With support of small regional groups, there cannot be a national alternative. These parties are coming together out of fear of Modiji’s popularity. See the past, they can never remain united.

“How long can (West Bengal Chief Minister) Mamata Banerjee be a friend of Congress at national level and enemy at state level. This is not going to sustain,” he said.

The Chief Minister, who is ruling the state since 2003, said the loss of a couple of parliamentary bypolls after winning five states cannot be called anti-Modi sentiment.

“We won those states where we were in a position of nothing. Although we lost Gorakhphur and Phulpur bypolls, we won all the major polls in the last four years. Bypoll results are impromptu reaction of people. It is not going to impact Modiji’s effect anyhow. It was because of Modiji we are ruling in most states. We have the maximum number of MPs and MLAs,” he said.

Claiming that there was no anti-incumbency against his government, Singh said even if it exists somewhere he would address it before the Assembly polls due later this year.

“Anti-incumbency is basically opposition to the system. When people’s expectations are not met and their grievances are not addressed, people raise their voice against the system. When such things are not addressed they take a big shape. Anti-incumbency can be beaten by development. We face the anti-incumbency through Lok Suraj Abhiyan and Vikas Yatra. This is the real spirit of gram swaraj when no one has grievances against the system,” he said.

Expressing confidence about returning to power again, he said being a national party the Congress was the main challenger for the BJP but added that Ajit Jogi, the former Chief Minister and President of the newly-formed Chhattisgarh Janata Congress (CJS), could play a major role in the polls.

“There would be an impact of Ajit Jogi’s presence. He cannot be rated weak. If there would be a division in Congress’s vote share, we will benefit directly or indirectly.”

Asked whether a tactical alliance of the Congress with Jogi can hurt his prospects in the elections, the Chief Minister said: “We have faced them when they contested jointly as well as when they fought separately. But when they contest separately, we are benefited more.”

Listing his government’s major achievements, he said that in the last 15 years his government’s focus was to provide for the basic needs of the people.

“When I assumed office in 2003 there was no power, no roads and no drinking water. It was a complete mess and there was a lack of infrastructure. People were forced to migrate to other parts of the country. There were starvation deaths.

“Today you can see there is power supply in 100 per cent households. We have created an extensive road network throughout the state. We brought an end to starvation deaths by launching food security scheme. We succeeded in making Chhattisgarh a malnutrition free state.

“We are providing Rs 50,000 to each individual under a health scheme like smart card. We have provided homes to six lakh families, gas cylinders to 35 lakh households. We formed a law for skill upgradation of workers. In fact, throughout my tenure we did our best to provide a prosperous life to our citizens,” he said.

Born on October 15, 1952 in Kawardha, Singh joined the Bharatiya Jan Sangh as a youth member and was the president of the youth wing in Kawardha from 1976-77. From a councillor of Kawardha municipality he progressed to become an MLA, MP and then union minister in the government of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee before being sent to the state as party president.

Asked about his role in national politics, Singh, an ayurvedic doctor-turned-politician, said that Chhattisgarh has always been his priority but he will abide by any party decision including if it decides to send him to the Centre.

“My present target is to form BJP government in Chhattisgarh for the fourth consecutive tenure. I have dedicated myself for this. If my priority would be asked, I will keep Chhattisgarh at top. But, if the party organisation takes any decision I will abide by it. What situation emerges ahead, I can’t say today but at present my priority is Chhattisgarh,” he told IANS during his Lok Suraj Abhiyan.

Parties fear low voting on weekend poll in Karnataka

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BY Bhavana Akella

Mainstream political parties like the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fear a lower turnout in the Karnataka assembly elections as voting is scheduled for May 12 — a second Saturday when all government offices and quite a few in the private sector are closed.

“It would have been better if polling was on a working day than on a weekend, which can affect voter participation, especially in urban constituencies where people tend to get away because the following day is a Sunday,” BJP state spokesman Vamanacharya told IANS.

The Election Commission on March 27 announced the poll schedule for the 224 assembly segments across the southern state in mid-summer when the average day temperature is expected to be above 40 degrees Celsius.

As in the previous assembly election, held on May 5, 2013, polling will be in a single phase this time too, and the vote count is scheduled for May 15.

“Voting on a week day would have been convenient to lakhs of working people, including thousands of techies in this tech hub as they get a paid holiday to exercise their democratic right,” asserted Vamanacharya.

For instance, most of the 250,000 IT professionals working in Bengaluru get away on weekends to unwind at holiday resorts, tourist spots and wildlife reserves, or go sight-seeing to the nearby Nandi Hills or visit other cities.

As India’s Silicon Valley, Bengaluru is home to about 2,000 IT firms and 750 multinationals.

Second Saturday of the month is also a holiday for state government employees and banks, besides IT and biotech firms, which makes them to get away and skip voting as it may not be a priority.

Concurring with the BJP on the poll date, the ruling Congress is also wary of the weekend fallout on the voting percentage in cities like Bengaluru, which has 28 assembly segments.

“Polling on a Saturday is worrisome as it will affect the turnout at the booths, as many citizens, especially the youth, would prefer getaways than stay back and go to vote,” Congress state unit vice president B.K. Chandrashekar told IANS here.

The voter turnout in the last assembly election was 71 per cent.

The Election Commission has, however, ruled out a change in the poll date, concerns of lower voter turnout notwithstanding.

“EC changing the poll date is unlikely as it is decided after factoring exams, public holidays, festivals and other events,” state Additional Chief Electoral Officer K.G. Jagadeesha told IANS.

The Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S), a regional party, however, feels the BJP or Congress should not be complaining, as the poll date was decided after the EC had consulted them too.

When the poll panel consulted the parties on the poll date, BJP and Congress representatives had mentioned that any day except Sunday was suitable.

“Parties complaining is only to find an excuse for their weaknesses,” JD-S state spokesman Ramesh Babu told IANS.

Meanwhile, renowned historian Ramachandra Guha said the country had witnessed assembly polls even on a Sunday in the past.

“I don’t think the day or date has much effect on the number of voters as we’ve seen elections with high voter percentage,” Guha said candidly.

Political scientist Sandeep Shastri said it was the responsibility of the parties to get the urban electorate to vote.

The voting percentage in Bengaluru has been the lowest in the state (less than 50 per cent) for the past 35 years, as there is apathy to polling because urban voters are cynical about the politics without understanding, Shastri asserted.

“I would blame the political parties for not being able to get voters to cast their ballot by raising the right issues that concern citizens,” he added.

Compared to the voter turnouts in the West, like the US (55 per cent in the 2016 presidential election), Indian states fare better, Shastri noted.

According to Srinivas Alavilli, a volunteer coordinator for Citizens for Bengaluru, a city-based people’s forum, urban voters’ data tends to be inaccurate with the people moving within and out of the city each year, and hence the voter turnout percentage does not often reflect the true number.

“Many people from Bengaluru don’t vote because they don’t see any political party addressing their issues. Through a citizens’ manifesto, we have been trying to make our demands heard by political parties,” Alavilli stated.

Only when political parties address the people’s issues can the voter turnout go up, he averred.

Lost the battle of penalties before it began: Bengal coach

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Ruing the unavailability of three players who could have changed the fate in tie-breakers for holders Bengal, their coach Ranjan Chowdhury on Sunday said the “battle was lost before it began” in the Santosh Trophy final penalty shootout against Kerala on Sunday.

Kerala beat defending champions Bengal 4-2 in the tie-breaker to lift the 72nd edition of the Santosh Trophy football tournament title.

Both teams were locked 2-2 after extra time at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan leading to a tie-breaker to decide the champion.

Ankit and Nabi Hussain Khan missed the first two attempts for Bengal as Kerala goalie Midhun pulled off saves on both occasions.

Tirthankar Sarkar and Sanchayan Samadder’s conversion did not help as Kerala had a 100 percent record with Rahul V Raj, Jithin Gopalan and Jestin George all scoring.

For the final kick, Jiten Murmu took on the gloves but Seesan S shot past the striker to deliver Kerala their first Santosh Trophy after a thirteen-season gap.

“I had to make three substitutions all because of injury. And all three of them were supposed to take penalties so we lost the battle of penalties before it began,” Chowdhury told reporters after the match.

Bidyashagar Singh (90+2), Sourav Dasgupta (start of extra time) and Sumit Das (halftime) were all taken off before the tie-breakers with the former two being injured and Das brought off due to poor showing.

During the match, M.S. Jithin scored in the 19th minute for Kerala while Jiten Murmu drew level for Bengal in the 68th minute.

In extra time, Vibin Thomas found the net in the 117th minute for Kerala after Bengal’s Rajon Burman was given his marching orders.

Bengal’s Tirthankar Sarkar scored late into injury time to take the game to penalties.

For the record, Bengal and Kerala have met twice before in the summit clash with the former winning on both occasions on penalties.

Coming to the winning team, Kerala coach Satheevan Balan credited his youngsters in the team for the success, saying it is the freshness in their ranks that helped him plan in his way and mastermind the triumph.

This is the youngest-ever Kerala team to take part in the nationals.

“It’s a fresh team and my technical staff also is new so I could work freely,” coach Balan told reporters.

“I could choose the players I like and they have done an excellent job. We have thirteen players without job and they are young players,” the former India U-19 coach added.

Kerala won all their matches leading up to the final. They finished top of Group A and also got the better of Bengal in the group stages.

“Recently, there are many youth leagues (in Kerala) which is encouraging for upcoming boys,” the national team scout said.

Balan had previously been vocal about the lack of promoters and exposure hurting the growth of Kerala football.

Kerala last won the Santosh Trophy in 2004-05.

Rahul slams BJP over Dalit issues

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Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday slammed the BJP over Dalit issues, saying those challenging the system that keeps their caste at the lowest are hit by violence.

“It is in the DNA of the RSS/BJP, to keep Dalits at the lowest notch in the Indian society. Those who challenge this thinking are hit by violence,” he tweeted.

“Thousands of Dalit brothers and sisters are on the streets today demanding to protect their rights from the Modi government. We salute them,” he added.

His remarks came in the wake of the ongoing protests by activists from various organisations against a Supreme Court ruling on the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Act.

Kashmir traders protest killing of civilians

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Kashmiri traders and manufacturers on Monday protested against the killings of four civilians in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district during operations against militants by security forces.

Srinagar traders and manufacturers started a protest march from the city centre Lal Chowk shouting slogans against the unending cycle of violence in the Kashmir Valley.

Police intervened at Polo View area on Residency Road as traders tried to move towards the headquarters of UN Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) in Sonwar area.

The protest march was dispersed by police and some protesters were taken into preventive custody.

Srinagar city and the rest of the Kashmir Valley observed a shutdown on Monday against Sunday’s killings in Shopian district.

Markets, roads, other businesses and educational institutions remained closed. Police and paramilitary forces were deployed in large numbers to maintain law and order.

10 Killed In Indore Hotel Collapse, Probe Ordered

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Ten persons were killed and two seriously injured when a four-storeyed dilapidated hotel building collapsed here after a car crashed into it, a police officer said on Sunday

Ten persons were killed and two seriously injured when a four-storeyed dilapidated hotel building collapsed here after a car crashed into it, a police officer said on Sunday. Deputy Inspector General Hari Narayan Chari Mishra told IANS that the MS Hotel near the crowded Sarvate bus stand collapsed on Saturday night.

The hotel Manager Harish Soni was among the dead. The dilapidated building, said to be 80 years old, came crashing down, burying persons staying in the hotel, some passersby and shops under the rubble.
District Collector Nishant Warwade earlier told the media that the district administration, Municipal Corporation, police, fire brigade and traffic police were carrying out a search and rescue operation. The National Disaster Response Force team from Bhopal was also asked to help.

Kiran Soni, daughter of the hotel Manager, told the media that the hotel’s roof had crashed last week. She said though the owner was informed he ignored it. Even as search and rescue operations ended on Sunday afternoon, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan ordered a high-level probe into the tragedy and asked for a report in seven days.

The government also announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for those injured. The police officer said a seven-member team of police officers has been set up to find if the building collapsed due to the car hit or for some other reason.

Bharat Bandh Live: 1 dead in MP, curfew imposed in several cities, train services affected

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Several Dalit organisations have called for ‘Bharat Bandh’ today against the alleged “dilution” of the SCs/STs Act. Following the SC order, in which Apex Court had banned automatic arrests in the said Act, the protests today have hit life in several states.

Hundreds of protesters carrying swords, sticks, baseball bats and flags forced shopkeepers and other establishments in Jalandhar, Amritsar and Bathinda to shut down. Similar protests have been reported from Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar ..

One can understand if people protest, but why is opposition playing politics? Congress, who did not give Bharat Ratna to BR Ambedkar, are now acting like his followers: Ramvilas Paswan, Union Minister
Rajasthan: Showrooms vandalised in Jaipur. Curfew imposed in parts of Gwalior, Section 144 imposed in Sagar.

Central & state govts are dedicated towards the welfare of backward castes, SC & ST. I appeal to all to not disturb the law & order. If at all there are any issues you can bring them to govt’s notice: UP CM Yogi Adityanath

*Today govt has filed a petition on the judgement by Supreme Court on the SC/ST Act. We don’t agree with the SC’s order. Opposition politicising the Dalit issue, says Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad

* Protesters blocks trains in Punjab, Odisha, Rajasthan.

Shops, educational institutions and other establishments remained closed in Punjab. The final practical examinations of Class 10 and 12 of Punjab School Education Board, which were scheduled to be held on Monday, will now be held on April 11.

* The Centre will file a review petition today against the Supreme Court’s order, in which it had puts an end to immediate arrests in complaints filed under the SC/ST Act provisions.

*Of course a review petition(SC/ST Act) should be filed. ..

Petrol Price In Mumbai Rises To Rs 68.89, Hits A 4-Year High

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State-owned oil firms, which have been since June last year revising auto fuel prices daily, today raised petrol and diesel rates by 18 paise per litre each in Delhi, according to a price notification

Petrol price today hit a four-year high of Rs 73.73 a litre while diesel rates touched an all-time high of Rs 64.58 in the national capital, renewing calls for the government to cut excise tax rates. State-owned oil firms, which have been since June last year revising auto fuel prices daily, today raised petrol and diesel rates by 18 paise per litre each in Delhi, according to a price notification. Petrol in the national capital now costs Rs 73.73 a litre, the highest since September 14, 2014 when rates had hit Rs 76.06. Diesel price at Rs 64.58 is the highest ever, with previous high of Rs 64.22 being on February 7, 2018.

petrol-chart

The Oil Ministry had earlier this year sought a reduction in excise duty on petrol an diesel to cushion the impact rising international oil rates but Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his Budget presented on February 1 ignored those calls. India has the highest retail prices of petrol and diesel among South Asian nations as taxes account for half of the pump rates.

Jaitley had raised excise duty nine times between November 2014 and January 2016 to shore up finances as global oil prices fell, but then cut the tax just once in October last year by Rs 2 a litre. Subsequent to that excise duty reduction, the Centre had asked states to also lower VAT but just four of them — Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh — reduced rates while others including BJP-ruled ones ignored the call.

The central government had cut excise duty by Rs 2 per litre in October 2017, when petrol price reached Rs 70.88 per litre in Delhi and diesel Rs. 59.14. Because of the reduction in excise duty, diesel prices had on October 4, 2017 come down to Rs 56.89 per litre and petrol to Rs 68.38 per litre. However, a global rally in crude prices pushed domestic fuel prices far higher than those levels. The October 2017 excise duty cut cost the government Rs 26,000 crore in annual revenue and about Rs 13,000 crore during the remaining part of the current fiscal year.

The government had between November 2014 and January 2016 raised excise duty on petrol and diesel on nine occasions to take away gains arising from plummeting global oil prices. In all, duty on petrol rate was hiked by Rs 11.77 per litre and that on diesel by 13.47 a litre in those 15 months that helped government’s excise mop up more than double to Rs 242,000 crore in 2016-17 from Rs 99,000 crore in 2014-15. State-owned oil companies — Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation — in June last year dumped the 15-year old practice of revising rates on the 1st and 16th of every month . Instead, they adopted a daily price revision system to instantly reflect changes in cost. Since then, prices are revised on a daily basis.

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