Home Blog Page 6213

Dr Paribaha Mukhopadhyay, junior doctor who suffered skull injury in NRS Hospital mob attack, released after treatment

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Dr Paribaha Mukhopadhyay, junior doctor who suffered skull injury in NRS Hospital mob attack, released after treatment

Dr Paribaha Mukhopadhyay, who had received a skull injury when a violent mob unleashed an attack on the NRS Hospital in Kolkata, has been released from the Institute of Neurosciences, Kolkata (INK) where he was being treated.

As per a report in The Times of India, Dr Paribaha Mukhopadhyay was released from the INK on Wednesday after weeks of treatment. Following the skull injury in the vicious attack, Dr Mukherjee had to undergo surgery on the cranium on June 11. He was injured when a mob of over 200 people had attacked the hospital after the death of one Mohammad Sayeed, a 75-year-old who had died after a cardiac stroke.

Paribaha had a dent in his skull which had to be treated by surgery. The surgery involved the elevation of the depressed fracture and debridement of the wound.

Skull injury of Dr Paribaha Mukherjee

Paribaha will need another surgery, a cranioplasty, in about 2/3 months. For now, he has been advised rest. The hospital report states that he had developed some sores on his tongue and had been complaining of a ‘heaviness’ in his head. He has been advised rest for 2 weeks following which he will be fit to join work.

Dr Hrishikesh Kumar, the surgeon who led the team of 5 doctors who operated on Paribaha, has stated that during Paribaha’s surgery, some small fragments of bone had come out when the depression was being elevated. The fragments have left tiny holes which have to be filled during the next cranioplasty procedure. The next procedure will involve filling the gaps with titanium.

Dr Kumar has also stated that Mukherjee’s surgery was a long and complicated procedure but luckily he had not suffered any damage to the brain.

The attack on the NRS Hospital and the Bengal police’s lack of action over the violent mob had led to nationwide protests by doctors who had demanded that the government must ensure the safety of doctors. In West Bengal alone, reportedly, there have been hundreds of attacks over doctors and medical staff in the last few years. The apathy of the TMC government and its appeasement politics were severely criticised by doctors in the state.

Almost all major hospitals and medical colleges had joined the protests against the Mamata government. The protests were only halted after CM Mamata Banerjee visited the doctors personally and assured safety and security at hospitals.

Hooghly village on boil after BJP victory march attacked by TMC men, worker chanting Jai Shree Ram brutally beaten up

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Hooghly village on boil after BJP victory march attacked by TMC men, worker chanting Jai Shree Ram brutally beaten up

A West Bengal town, 64 kms from Kolkata in the Hooghly district has been on the boil since Wednesday night after a BJP victory march was attacked by TMC goons and the BJP worker leading the victory march and chanting Jai Shree Ram was brutally attacked by ruling TMC’s men.

Clashes broke out between the workers of the BJP and the TMC over chanting of “Jai Shri Ram” at Gurap village in West Bengal’s Hooghly district and one person was critically injured after being hit by a bullet fired accidentally from a police revolver.

BJP supporters who participated in a victory rally at Gurap’s Saturia were attacked, allegedly by TMC goons. Sadhan Das Baul, who had led the Jai Sri Ram chant at the rally, was beaten up at Bathangeria-Anspora village in Dhaniakhali after returning from the rally. He received injuries on his head, chest and neck.

After the incident, reportedly, a police team from Dhaniakhali police station set off for Bathangoria when a group of BJP men chanting ‘Jai Shree Ram’ stopped the convoy and demanded an answer for TMC’s attack on Das for chanting Jai Shree Ram. It is during this incident that a BJP supporter called Jaichand Malik tried to snatch a service revolver from a policeman and in the scuffle, a bullet ended up hitting him in the chest.

Post these incidents, on Thursday, the village remained on tenterhooks when hundreds of BJP supporters marched into the Gurap police station and indulged in a scuffle with the policemen. Reportedly, tires were set on fire and stones were also pelted. BJP was demanding the arrest of the policeman who fired at the BJP supporter earlier.

BJP has alleged that Sadhan Das Baul got injured while trying to save other BJP supporters from the police firing and have disputed the police’s version that he got injured accidentally. The party has also alleged that the TMC led a planned attack against the BJP.
On Thursday, a bandh-like atmosphere prevailed in both Gurap and Dhaniakhali. A police jeep was damaged when cops tried to remove blockades on the Chinsurah-Dhaniakhali Road.

“Trinamool leaders in Gurap and Dhaniakhali are neck-deep in corruption. They have built huge houses for themselves with cut money. We never imagined we would have to face such attacks simply for marching in a victory rally. We will not be cowed down by such attacks,” said BJP leader Nirmal Ghosh, who led Thursday’s gherao of Gurap police station.

Dhaniakhali Trinamool MLA and state minister Asima Patra rejected allegations that Trinamool men had attacked BJP supporters. “This is not a political incident. Trinamool is in no way involved in this,” she said.

According to Indian Express, three cases have been filed so far in the case. One for attacking the police and snatching revolver, another based on a complaint filed by Mali’s relative against police, and a third is a suo moto case by Gurap police against BJP supporters for attacking the police and damaging vehicles during Thursday’s protest.

The chant of Jai Shree Ram has become one of political upheaval in West Bengal with TMC goons lashing out at those chanting it. Recently, 3 BJP workers including a 14-year-old boy were shot for chanting Jai Shree Ram. 

Recently a BJP worker who was chanting Jai Shri Ram while preparing for a victory procession of the party after winning elections was allegedly stabbed to death by TMC workers.

Mamata Banerjee had also got 10 people arrested for chanting ‘Jai Shree Ram’ at her. She had claimed that she was being abused.

Mangoes turning saffron from green after Modi’s victory is a huge concern, activists say

Alter RR
-
0
Mangoes turning saffron from green after Modi’s victory is a huge concern, activists say

It’s been barely over a month since Hindu Nationalist Narendra Modi returned to power with a bigger majority and most parts of India are reporting that mangoes – supposed to be the King among fruits – have started changing their colour from green to orange, which is a shade of saffron i.e. the colour of Hinduism.

Intellectuals and activists from across the country have expressed concern over this saffronisation of a popular fruit. Activists have refused to believe that this phenomenon can be explained through natural evolution, which some botanists term as “ripening” of the fruit.

“Science has often been used by the Right Wing to hide their bigotry. There is nothing ripening here. It’s India getting rotten to the core,” claimed intellectual Mahua Guha, who has become a leading intellectual over the last 72 hours.

“Is Indian team also getting ripened as their jerseys turn saffron from blue?” Mahua shot back showing middle finger when a failed journalist pointed out that ripening could indeed be the cause of this change in colour of mangoes.

Activists and intellectuals point out that their favourite fruit – Strawberry, which is something not enjoyed by classless Right Wing that mocks it as Lutyens berry – remains red steadfastly and never turns saffron, thus any claim that saffronisation is a natural evolution is illogical and unscientific. They also point out that India is a multicultural society and thus what is good for mangoes many not be good for other fruits.

“It is your savarna privilege and bias if you think all Indians like mangoes,” local detective turned international journalist Amrood Ayyub pointed out, “Have you not seen that mangoes hardly are crucial part of a Muslim diet. Muslims actually prefer dry fruits like dates. Wondered why ‘dry’ fruits? Because the Brahminical capitalist government of India takes away all the juices for savarnas.”

Convinced with such arguments of activists, the Congress party too has come out against mangoes turning saffron.

“We can’t ignore that this is happening after Narendra Modi said that he liked mangoes in an interview with Akshay Kumar,” Congress leader Swara Bhaskaran pointed out. The party has decided to not allow the parliament to function till the mangoes turn green again. The party had earlier opposed Indian team wearing orange jersey for their world cup match against England.

Meanwhile media reports coming in at the time of publication of this report suggest that a person in West Bengal has been forced to eat mangoes and shout “Jai Ho Aam”. The incident is expected to cause nationwide outrage.

Agsar Ali made to do sit-ups and chant Jai Shree Ram by another Muslim man, Apsi Miya arrested after video goes viral

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Agsar Ali made to do sit-ups and chant Jai Shree Ram by another Muslim man, Apsi Miya arrested after video goes viral

A video went viral recently, where a Muslim man was seen doing sit-ups, while holding his ears, and was being forced to chant “Jai Shree Ram”. Another Muslim man has been arrested in connection with the case. According to a report in the Times of India, Apsi Miyan has been arrested for making another Muslim man, Agsar Ali, chant ‘Jai Shree Ram’ forcefully in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal.

In the video that went viral, the Muslim man was seen holding his ears and doing sit-ups. While doing sit-ups he was being made to chant Jai Shree Ram. He was also being told that he would never utter the name of Mamata Banerjee and should not ever be seen with TMC men.

Reportedly, the incident took place after Lok Sabha elections, but the state administration took note only after the video went viral recently. According to Mumbai Mirror, following the Lok Sabha elections of 2019, Apsi Miyan had beaten up and tortured the Muslim man, Asgar Ali, and Utpal Das. However, no arrests were made at the time.

After the video went viral, Apsi Miyan was arrested and produced in a local Cooch Behar’s Tufanganj court on Friday and has been remanded in police custody. BJP has refused any connections with Apsi Miyan, reported Mumbai Mirror.

Recently, there has been a spate of incidents where there have been allegations that men from the minority community have been forced to chant Jai Shree Ram. However, several of these cases have turned out to be fake later. Recently, a Madrasa teacher had alleged that he was forced to chant Jai Shree Ram, however, eyewitnesses disputed his version entirely. 

Recently, in a similar incident in Gurugram, a Muslim man named Barkat Alam had alleged that his skull cap was thrown away after a group of Hindus had attacked him. However, later these allegations were found to be untrue after a police investigation.

Anti-Corruption Bureau unearth ₹177 crore loan fraud by J&K Bank officials and NCP leader’s son

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Anti-Corruption Bureau unearth ₹177 crore loan fraud by J&K Bank officials and NCP leader’s son

The Jammu and Kashmir Bank is back in news yet again for the wrong reason. Recently, its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Parvez Ahmad Nengroo was sacked on grounds of corruption and was immediately replaced by R. K. Chibber as the interim chairman. Hours after his removal, the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) had raided the bank headquarters on the allegations of irregularities in appointments and other dealings in the bank during Ahmad’s term.

In a fresh series of loan fraud allegations, the ACB expanded its scope of the investigation beyond Kashmir region to conduct searches across different premises in Jammu.


According to reports by Times Now, the ACB investigation has unravelled more loot. The investigation agency is believed to have unearthed a scam to the tune of Rs 170 crore wherein the bank is suspected of lending a large amount of money to undeserving business entities and later settling these dubious loans at a much lower than the sanctioned loan or the disbursed amount.


The ACB and Income Tax (IT) officials also raided the house of Hilal Rather,  prominent businessman and son of senior National Conference (NC) leader and Former Finance Minister of State Abdul Rahim Rather.

The agency has registered a case against the management of J&K Bank and two firms owned by Rather under the Prevention of Corruption Act. As per reports, in its fresh raids outside Kashmir, the agency believes at least Rs 30 crore have been siphoned off directly. The agency has also been able to recover incriminating and evidentially valuable materials including laptops and gadgets. It believes the investors have been cheated of their money in a similar fashion.

Investigation reveals that Rather had fraudulently obtained Rs 177.68 crore in loan amount in connivance of J&K Bank officials. Out of which, Rs 50 crore was later waived off illegally by resorting to One Time Settlement (OTS).

The raids in Paradise Avenue and Simula Solutions owned by Rather and other properties of individuals and companies connected with these firms was supervised by Anand Jain, Director of ACB after obtaining search warrants from the court.

During these raids, the officials recovered documents and laptops pointing out to a deep-rooted conspiracy between the management of J&K Bank and the firms belonging to Rather and evidence that the bank awarded him with undue benefits.

According to the official spokesman of the ACB, a Joint Surprise Check (JSC) on J&K Bank officers revealed that rules were flouted to extend loan to Rather’s firms between 2012 and 2017, which was later turned into NPA.

The investigation revealed the proprietors had approached New University Campus Jammu Branch of J&K Bank to avail Rs 74.27 crore to set up Paradise Avenue, a residential township complex at Narwal comprising 52 flats in the towers named as Eden and Zion.

Reports suggest that loan was sanctioned on 30.01.2012 with one of the pre-requisite conditions that loan would be disbursed in a phased manner after securing margin of Rs 22.09 crore including the unsecured loan of Rs 2 crore from the borrowers on pro-rata basis.

The scrutiny of records, however, revealed the proprietors purchased 30 kanals of land from different landowners through registered sale deeds in July 2012, six months after the loan was sanctioned. This clearly pointed out that loanee firm had lied about the land title at the time of mortgaging it to the bank.

“Under a well-knit and pre-designed conspiracy hatched by the loanee firm with the bank officials, the amount of sale consideration reflected in the sale deed was shown paid through cheques to the landowners fraudulently and dishonestly with inflated cost of the land whereas those cheques were actually taken back from the landowners and fresh cheques were issued to them from the loan account of M/s Paradise Avenue and loan account of Shree Simula Solutions, other sister concerns of the leading partner of the firm with the objective and purpose to buy the land in question out of the loan amount alone sanctioned by the bank”, investigation of the ACB pointed out.

The bank officials connived with the proprietors of the firm to flout norms and sanction the loan amount against the purchase of land for raising the residential township.

While the bank was slated to release the loan amount in phases, the bank instead disbursed 100% amount by March 2014 in favour of the proprietors.

“The firm borrowed three additional loans worth Rs 68.91 crores, Rs 20 crores and Rs 14.5 crores. Hence in total, the proprietors of the firm managed to obtain Rs 177.68 crores loan illegally and fraudulently in connivance with the bank management and its officials”, the ACB spokesman added and further said, “the repayment of the loan amounts was to start from September 2017 with a quarterly instalment of Rs 11.27 crore. However, the proprietors turned wilful defaulters with sole objective to get their loan account declared into NPA and consequently they succeeded in their goal on 31.12.2017.”

The deep-rooted conspiracy between the bank management and the beneficiary firm is highlighted by the fact that the Principal Loan Amount of Rs 177.68 crores was illegally settled at Rs 130 crores under One Time Settlement (OTS). Out of this amount, the borrowers’ cheque for Rs 40 crore bounced.

Based on its investigation, ACB has registered a case under Prevention of Corruption Act against the management of Jammu and Kashmir Bank, the officers concerned and partners of the beneficiary firms among others.

Rather’s properties were raided by a team headed by DySP Mushtaq, who in turn assisted by Inspectors Kamal Sangra, Gulzar Ahmed and Bandeshwar Singh.

Ranchi: Tribal man killed for objecting to weed being smoked outside his house, Md Sajid, Azam Ansari and Ramzan Ansari arrested

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Ranchi: Tribal man killed for objecting to weed being smoked outside his house, Md Sajid, Azam Ansari and Ramzan Ansari arrested

In a shocking incident, Mangru Pahan (30), belonging to a tribal community from Jharkhand was stabbed to death, on the night of June 21, just because he had asked three men not to smoke ganja outside his house.

Three accused identified as Mohammad Sajid alias Chottu, Azam Ansari alias Babu and Ramzan Ansari alias Chutri have been arrested, according to a report in Bhaskar. The police has also recovered the knife allegedly used in the crime.

The accused confessed before the police that the stabbing took place following an argument with Pahan.

Mangru Pahan, who is survived by his wife and four children was a resident of Sarna Toli in Kadru area under Argora police station area. Pahan, who used to earn his living as a labourer. In the incident which took place around 9 pm, the three accused along with their friends were smoking ganja near Magru’s home at Kadru Sarna Toli. Mangru’ polite request to not smoke ganja outside his house, angered one of the youths so much that he stabbed Magru in his stomach and escaped.

Recalling the incident, Mangru’s relative said, “They had come outside the house (where there is a tree) and were smoking. Mangru objected on this. He told them that you can go to the railway station, where there are no people. But they first picked up an argument and then one of them stabbed him.

“We rushed him to RIMS (Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences), where he was declared brought dead,” confirmed Mangru’s relatives.

Last year, in a similar incident, one Santosh was allegedly killed by Wasim after he too objected to ganja smoking. Santosh was reportedly a BJP party member and Wasim was allegedly the son of a Congress worker. In his statement to the police, Ashok, 27, who witnessed the attack, said Santosh had taken objection to the prime accused Wasim smoking marijuana.

Doctor says Tabrez Ansari could have died of cardiac arrest, police maintain mob lynching not cause of death: Reports

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Doctor says Tabrez Ansari could have died of cardiac arrest, police maintain mob lynching not cause of death: Reports

The investigation team set up by the district administration to inquire into the matter of Tabrez Ansari’s death has concluded that he could have died as a consequence of stress-induced cardiac arrest, The New Indian Express has reported. Tabrez Ansari was allegedly brutally beaten by a mob in Jharkhand on the 18th June on the accusation of theft. He had died on 22nd in police custody.

The team constituted by the Deputy Commissioner which comprises of the SDO, District Superintendent of Police (DSP) and the civil doctor submitted its report on Tuesday. Civil Surgeon Dr AN Ray was quoted by TNIE as saying, “Stress-induced cardiac arrest could have led to the sudden death of Ansari since no internal injury was found during his post mortem examination”.

“Barring some cut marks on his head, hands and legs, no deep injury was found on the body of Tabrez Ansari which might have led to his death. In the video footage obtained from the jail, he was seen walking around and talking to other jailed persons”, police said as per the report.

“On June 22, after completing his ablutions, Ansari demanded drinking water. He drank it and then complained of dizziness and fainted. He was immediately rushed to the Sadar Hospital where he was put on oxygen but could not be saved,” said the Civil Surgeon. However, Dr Ray said in his report to the sub-divisional magistrate that the detailed forensic report which will be available in 2 weeks time will help pinpoint the actual reason.

The Police too have maintained that Ansari did not die due to mob lynching, according to a report on Jagran. The SP of Saraikela has said that many misleading videos are being circulated on the matter in order to vitiate the atmosphere. He said that people who are spreading rumours won’t be spared as well.

According to the Police, people had gotten into a fight with Ansari on 18th June who was accused of trying to steal a bike. After police got information about the same, they reached the spot and rescued him. Police had also recovered the stolen bike and some other items. The Police gave him first aid, subjected him to a medical examination and then submitted the report to the Court, only then he was sent to jail. Three days later, his health deteriorated and he died. Therefore, the Police says it is wrong to claim he died due to mob lynching.

Comments of both the doctor and police suggest that the mob attack may not be the result of Ansari’s death, but that will be confirmed after the detail forensic reports become available.

In ‘respect’ and ‘honour’ of Rahul Gandhi, Congress office bearers resign en masse

OpIndia Staff
-
0
In ‘respect’ and ‘honour’ of Rahul Gandhi, Congress office bearers resign en masse

A large number of Congress functionaries and office bearers have reportedly tendered mass resignations on Thursday in ‘honour’ and ‘respect’ of their president Rahul Gandhi. The signatories on the resignation include AICC- PCC chiefs, Working Presidents, Secretaries, Youth Congress leaders and Mahila Congress office bearers.


A mass resignation letter is doing the rounds on the Internet in which about 140 Congress office bearers have signed the resignation letter which read- “I would like to immediately resign from my post in respect and honour of Rahul Gandhi.”

Following a humiliating defeat in the recently concluded 17th Lok Sabha elections, in which Congress could manage to win a paltry 53 Lok Sabha seats, Congress president Rahul Gandhi owned up the responsibility of the poll debacle and offered his resignation from the post of Congress Presidency.

However, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) had unanimously rejected his resignation and exhorted him to continue as the party’s chief. But, Rahul Gandhi has reportedly been adamant on his resignation from the post and has asked party leaders to find many an appropriated candidate for the position.

Many Rahul Gandhi supporters within the party have now proffered to resign amidst his insistence on resigning from the post of Congress presidency. Congress leader Prakash Joshi said why should Rahul Gandhi alone be held responsible for the party’s poll rout and emphasised that those responsible for ‘calling the shots’ from behind should be held responsible and Rahul Gandhi be given a free rein to restructure the party.


Recently, Congress president Rahul Gandhi had expressed his displeasure that no other Congress leaders were ready to take the responsibility of the Lok Sabha poll debacle. Responding to the request made by the Haryana state coordination committee to reconsider the resignation, Rahul told the leaders, “I have resigned after taking full responsibility and ensuring accountability for the party’s defeat in the Lok Sabha elections. I cannot ask others to resign too. It is up to them if they want to take responsibility.”

Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha goes on an abusive spree against people who criticize his film Article 15

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha goes on an abusive spree against people who criticize his film Article 15

Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha, whose propaganda film Article 15 which shamelessly attempts to further enforce the old shackles of caste identities, was released today hasn’t taken the criticism to his film that well.

While the movie claims to have been inspired from ‘true incidents’, the trailer made it clear that it was based on the infamous Badaun hanging case where two young girls were murdered in a village in UP.

In its attempt to be ‘inspired’ from the Badaun case, the movie seems to have taken wide liberties with facts. The case got wide attention in national and international media, bringing shame for the then Akhilesh Yadav government in UP because it was highlighted as a case of upper caste atrocity against Dalits.

The accused were named Pappu Yadav, Avadhesh Yadav, Urvesh Yadav, Chhatrapal Yadav and Sarvesh Yadav. Chhatrapal and Sarvesh were policemen. The police department was accused of showing leniency to the accused in the case due to political pressure from the Samajwadi Party which was favouring the Yadavs. Even the police investigation was severely criticised and the people had demanded a CBI inquiry.

The CBI had later stated that their probe indicates that the two girls, aged 14 and 15, had committed suicide and they were neither raped or murdered. The five accused were all given a clean chit.

However, Sinha has made great efforts in his movie to take a widely publicised crime and paint it in colours of casteism that suits his political narrative. In the trailer one can see the invisible ‘Mahant ji’ (a probable sly at Yogi Adityanath) who is a Brahmin, is painted as the all-powerful root of evil in the movie. Also, the over-emphasis of ‘upper castes’ and Brahmins being the sole cause of all atrocities seems to be the central theme in the movie.

The attempt to pick a highly publicised crime and paint it in anti-Brahmin, anti-upper caste colours is unfair, even in the name of artistic liberties. The Badaun case had no brahmin angle. Changing the ethnicities and identities of a highly publicised crime only reeks of narrow political agenda, an agenda which is dangerously partial and divisive.

When audience (usually filmmakers make the moral high ground and say how they have made the film for its audience), started questioning Sinha on the microblogging site Twitter, he lost his cool and started abusing those who criticised his film.


Ravi Kumar on his part had politely asked Sinha to remove the part that the film was inspired from true events considering he has taken creative liberties. However, Sinha thought a response to this polite criticism is the ‘F-word’.


The abuses to critics of his film don’t seem to be stopping.


Apparently, only praises for his propaganda make it to the category of ‘intelligent tweets’.


Prior to the release of his another propaganda film ‘Mulk’, Sinha who had earlier made the embarrassment called Ra.One, had claimed that terrorism was not started by Muslims. He was also caught requesting Pakistanis to watch his ‘Mulk’ movie illegally. Sinha, whose own shady money laundering attempts were recently highlighted seems to be on a mission to improving his public image by toeing ‘liberal’ propaganda. The incessant usage of F-word surely helps.

Move over Narendra Modi, there is a new ‘hated figure’ in ‘Left Liberal’ town

vigoe
-
0
Move over Narendra Modi, there is a new ‘hated figure’ in ‘Left Liberal’ town

Move over Narendra Modi as there is a new ‘hated figure’ in the town who is earning the wrath of ‘Liberals’ these days. He has been able to achieve this distinction through his sheer hard work and unparalleled patriotism. He is none other than the answer to the questions all the cricket fans were asking after Sachin’s retirement – Virat Kohli.

He always attracted a lot of criticism for his on-field aggression and in-your-face attitude. Sure, some of the criticism was warranted given his tendency to resort to the choicest of abuses on the cricket field but ask any Delhi-ite and he would not think much of it as that is the kind of words a person grows up within Delhi (This is not to demean Delhi or to justify his actions but stating the reality as it is).

But the level of criticism and ‘hate’ against him has grown exponential with the performance of the Indian team in recent years under his leadership. ‘Hatred’ towards him increased many folds when he asked an Indian cricket fan to leave the country if he does not support the Indian team. This was at the time when the Nationalists were asserting themselves unashamedly buoyed by the dynamic leadership of Narendra Modi and sounds of ‘leave the country’ were common for those who hated him or were demonizing India due to their rabid hate.

He was brutally criticized for leading the Indian team on the field with ‘camouflage caps‘ to support Indian Armed forces after the dastardly Pulwama terror attack. This was at the time of the general elections in India which the ‘Left Liberals’ had made a referendum on the ‘Idea of India’ (whatever that is) and this act of his was seen as a betrayal of that idea which they were fighting for. Since then, the ‘Left Liberals’ have renounced the Indian cricket team completely and are seen cheering for the other side whenever India plays, and are seen claiming a moral victory for the opposition whenever Indian team wins, which has become almost an everyday occurrence.

Virat Kohli and the Indian team are chided for the lack of sportsman spirit which these people mistake for being weak and defeat. They hide their faces in the sand like an ostrich when Virat Kohli scolds the Indian fans for booing Steven Smith or when he gifts his bat to Mohammed Amir to show his support for the beleaguered player who was making a comeback after the five-year ban, the acts of true sportsman spirit.

These people equate sportsman spirit with weakness, mediocrity and lack of fight which inevitably leads to more defeats than wins. That is what these people want. They rue the era of ‘classic’ cricket when there was an emotional connect with the Indian team which used to invariably get defeated despite the presence of some of the legends of the game. They hate this ‘cold-hearted’ Indian team which brings back the memories of the Australian team of the late 90s and early 2000s.

They are unable to connect with this ‘new Indian’ team which is ruthless in its approach when it comes to winning. This new Indian team is a reflection of the ‘Naya India’ which PM Narendra Modi keeps referring to, which is hungry for success and does not shy away from hard work to achieve that.

This is the ‘new Indian’ team which does not shy away from dropping performing players to send out a clear message regarding the importance of fitness. This fitness revolution led by the leader himself at the top has changed the fortune of the team in recent years (sounds like the case with the country in general, where development revolution led by the leader of the country has changed the fortune of the country in recent years).

It was not like fitness was not on Indian team’s captain’s minds before Virat Kohli. Dhoni had asked for fitter players in limited overs cricket as far back as in 2008. He was often criticized for nudging the senior players out of the team due to fitness issues. But Virat Kohli has taken it to a different level which Indian cricket fans had never seen before. He pushed the legend himself, Dhoni, to get fitter in last few years after his retirement from Test cricket and the results are for everyone to see with him giving a run for money to any young wicket-keeper with his performances even at a ripe age of 37.

They hate him because he has been able to instil a ‘winning’ mindset in the team which is unlikely to change for the foreseeable future whether or not he is at the helm of the affairs or not. He does not accept mediocrity and stumps everyone with his commitment, achievements and passion even after all these years.

The ‘Left Liberals’ ecosystem has promoted mediocrity over the years and who hate India and its achievements in any form. They want India to lose just because Indian win would fan the feelings of ‘toxic hyper-nationalism‘ according to them. They are simply unable to accept the fact that one man (Narendra Modi) has been able to make them irrelevant, a task that seemed impossible just till a decade back, and they seem to have no answer to his sheer hard work, determination, passion and vision.

And Virat Kohli seems to be showing the similar traits on the cricketing field while taking Indian cricket team in the same direction. Both are unabashedly patriotic, a trait enough for these people to hate them. Just like Narendra Modi seem unaffected and even buoyed by their ‘hatred’, Virat Kohli also seems to be paying no attention to these ‘haters’ – which frustrates them further and leads to even more ‘hate’. They have embroiled themselves in this vicious circle.

With the general election win in 2019 for Narendra Modi and India doing reasonably well under Virat Kohli, there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel for these habitual ‘haters’.

1...6,2126,2136,214...7,574Page 6,213 of 7,574