The India ‘Doland Trump’ Saw!
The only ray of hope for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s supporters is the claim that the world is looking at India because of Modi. The moment allegations such as the collapse of India’s economy, increase in unemployment, and reduction in GDP growth rate are levelled, BJP leaders try to push things under the carpet by claiming that ‘even then, the world’s focus is on India.’ There is no doubt that China’s focus is on India. In the last two months when Chinese mounted attacks in Ladakh, BJP leaders stooped to the level of attributing the attacks to the jealousy triggered due to India’s development under the leadership of Modi! Already, a BJP leader has issued a statement that the developments works initiated in the Indian border have startled China.
In the recent days, the party is drawing up strategies to draw into its fold actors, political leaders, and the media. By delivering hate speeches, a leader can emerge in the country within a day. Similarly, we have seen how television channels retain viewers by spreading rumours and fake news throughout the day. Whatever the result, their only goal is to make sure that they get attention. It is true that a majority of the people were optimistic that Modi would do something new and develop India to such an extent that the world would be amazed at India’s development. His initial speeches and announcements that we will soon witness ‘acche din’ instilled confidence in the people of the country. But all expectations were dashed in the first five years of his administration.
It is not that the world is not looking at India. In fact, the world is looking at India wonder struck. It is looking at the country with anguish, sadness, and worried at where the country has reached! We were at least hopeful that Narendra Modi’s friend US President Donald Trump will have good words to say about India. But now, his friend ‘Doland Trump’ has called India as a ‘dirty country’ in his speech. Perhaps, Modi should have built higher walls on the streets of Gujarat during the ‘Namaste Trump’ programme. Maybe Trump saw Gujarat’s dirt and has now called India a ‘dirty country’. But we need to be clear whether Trump needs to be criticized for calling India a ‘dirty country’ or criticize Narendra Modi for converting the country into one. The country will not develop by getting praised by paid media nor will the world praise the country based on media reports. Similarly, it is not right to forcibly get praised by others. Before criticizing or making sarcastic remarks, we should first weigh the truth in Trump’s statement. Modi had already accepted Trump’s statement and therefore, when Trump arrived, he constructed walls overnight in the by-lanes of Ahmedabad. He has constantly tried to cover up the state of the nation not only by constructing walls but also with the help of the friendly media.
It is ironical that the embarrassment we feel when Trump calls us a ‘dirty country’ is not felt when the United Nations expresses anguish about the increasing human rights violations in the country. The United Nations has already warned that human rights is under tremendous strain in the world’s largest democracy that is India. At the same time, Europe’s Parliamentary Committee had also warned India about the increasing attacks on minorities. These are more humiliating than Trump calling India a ‘dirty country’ in his speech. Such official statements of anguish have not only affected India’s standing in the world but also impacted the country’s economy. Only if democracy has a strong foothold and peace and harmony prevails in a country will industrialists come forward to invest. No country will want to make investment in a country where crime, violence, and cruelty are on the rise. Also, India’s poor performance in the Global Hunger Index and the problem of tuberculosis assuming alarming proportions should be issues of humiliation for the country. We need to quickly find answers for who and what is responsible for India reaching this state. Otherwise, instead of becoming the world leader, India will become a pain to the world.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Akash Singh says signature celebration fuels motivation, reinforces dominance
Lucknow (PTI): Pacer Akash Singh caught the eye with his unique celebration during Lucknow Super Giants' win over Chennai Super Kings, pulling out a piece of paper from his pocket after a wicket, a gesture he said was aimed at "motivating" himself and "asserting dominance" over batters.
The left-arm pacer pulled out a scrappy piece of paper after each of the three wickets he took in LSG seven-wicket win over CSK, with the message reading: "Akki on fire -- Akash knows how to take wickets in T20 cricket.
The 24-year-old, who began his IPL journey with Rajasthan Royals and was part of Chennai Super Kings’ title-winning campaign in 2023 before moving to Lucknow Super Giants, registered his best IPL figures with 3 for 26 on Friday.
"'Akki knows how to take wickets in T20 cricket', right?" Akash said when asked about the message on the piece of paper, adding that it serves as a source of motivation and helps him focus on dominating batters and delivering stronger performances for the team.
"Different things motivate different people. Some days I show the paper, some days I don't, but it reflects my mindset on that particular day. When you carry a piece of paper with something written on it, you manifest things and the most important part is when those manifestations actually materialise," he added.
Akash, who hails from Bharatpur in Rajasthan, said the strong backing from the Lucknow Super Giants support staff over the last two years had played a huge role in his growth as a cricketer.
"I've been with LSG for two years and the most important thing has been the backing from the coaches, even when I'm not in the playing XI. This year we have Bharat Arun sir, last year Zaheer sir was there...Tom Moody. The way they guide us, prepare us and keep us ready for opportunities is very important when there are 25 players in the squad," he said.
"When you are not playing, you naturally seek backing and every player wants to make the most of the opportunities he gets. The support from the captain also matters a lot and with Rishabh bhaiya backing you, the confidence grows and you are able to perform better," Akash said, referring to Rishabh Pant.
Akash said Pant had asked him to trust his strengths ahead of the clash against CSK.
"He told me that the new ball is my strength and that I can swing it both ways. So I just tried to make the best use of my skills. The wicket also had good bounce, so I focused on using the bouncer effectively,” added Akash.
On his success against CSK, Akash said his experience of playing in the IPL since 2020, including a stint with CSK, helped him understand the opposition batters better, while backing his own strengths with the ball also played a key role in his impressive spell.
"Obviously, when you play in the IPL and have shared the dressing room with some players, you understand their strengths and weaknesses. My focus was first to back my own strengths, then exploit their weaknesses and also make the best use of what the wicket was offering," Akash said.
Akash said he had sensed over the last two-three games that an opportunity could come his way after being repeatedly told to "be ready", though he admitted he was unfortunate not to get a chance earlier.
"Two days before the match, during practice, I was told to be ready," he said.
Clarifying that he had not been carrying the piece of paper in anticipation, Akash said he often notes down thoughts that could help improve his game..
"Whenever I’m alone or about to sleep, any thought that comes to my mind which can help my cricket, I write it down. The other night I got this thought and jotted it down on paper," he added.
