Kerala: Hadiya’s father joins BJP, says he supports Sabarimala protests
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 18: A man from Kerala who had moved court against his daughter’s inter-faith marriage has now joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Hindustan Times reported. KM Ashokan, the father of Hadiya, said on Monday he supports the party’s protest against a Supreme Court verdict that had allowed women of menstruating age to enter the Sabarimala temple.
Hadiya, formerly known as Akhila Ashokan, had converted to Islam to marry Shafin Jahan in 2015. Her father had approached the Kerala High Court, alleging that Muslim organisations planned to make her join the Islamic State group, and that Jahan was involved in terrorism.
On Monday, Ashokan joined the BJP in the presence of party General Secretary B Gopalakrishnan. He claimed the BJP is the only party that can protect Hindu beliefs.
“I was a Communist party follower since my childhood,” he told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram. “But of late the party is playing dirty vote-bank politics eyeing minority votes. I failed to understand if somebody talks about Hindus [how] he turns communal in no time.”
Explaining his support for the protests in Sabarimala, Ashokan said: “Like many Hindus of Kerala, I am also torn between my belief and law. I personally believe customs and traditions should not come under the preview of courts. Let religious scholars and other decide on such issues.”
In May 2017, the Kerala High Court had annulled Hadiya’s marriage and sent her back to her father. However, Jahan moved the Supreme Court, which in March 2018, restored the marriage, observing that “marriage and intimacy of personal relationships are the core of plurality in India”.
Courtesy: scroll.in
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Late flourish masks CSK’s batting woes on lively Chepauk track, hosts post 158/7
Chennai (PTI): Bowlers calling the shots in a format dominated by big hitters is a rarity, but that script played out at Chepauk on Sunday as Gujarat Titans exploited a lively, bounce-friendly surface to stifle Chennai Super Kings before the hosts managed a late flourish to reach 158 for 7.
On a pitch that offered sharp carry, stroke-making demanded discretion and adaptability. Instead, CSK’s batters often opted for high-risk shots without fully assessing conditions, and paid the price with a flurry of miscued dismissals.
Invited to bat, CSK never quite found rhythm but skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad’s maiden half-century (74 not out) of the current IPL season lent a semblance of respectability to the total in a season where 200-plus scores have become commonplace.
Gaikwad's knock came off 60 balls with six fours and four sixes after a laboured start.
The tone was set early by GT pacer Mohammed Siraj, who extracted steep bounce and forced errors.
Sanju Samson (11) began watchfully, negotiating the first over before opening up against Kagiso Rabada to bring up his 5000 IPL runs milestone. However, Rabada’s bounce soon accounted for him as a hard slash outside off resulted in a faint edge that Jos Buttler pouched safely.
The dismissal triggered a collapse. Urvil Patel (4) fell in the same Rabada over attempting an ambitious pull, while Sarfaraz Khan (0) succumbed to Siraj’s extra lift, mistiming a short ball to offer a simple catch.
At 28 for 3 inside the Powerplay, CSK were already in trouble.
Gaikwad and Dewald Brevis (2) needed to rebuild, but the latter’s impatience against spinner Manav Suthar led to his downfall, holing out after failing to get to the pitch of the ball.
The mounting wickets forced Gaikwad into a shell — an approach that, while understandable, further stalled the momentum. His reluctance to improvise allowed dot balls to pile up, with CSK reaching 50 only in the 12th over.
The skipper eventually broke free, taking on Arshad Khan and Jason Holder with a couple of towering sixes, but the acceleration came too late.
Shivam Dube, dropped thrice on 6, 11 and 22, struggled for fluency before Arshad cleaned him up.
Kartik Sharma (15) and Jamie Overton (18) provided late impetus with a few lusty hits, but the damage had already been done.
On a pitch that rewarded discipline and smart shot selection, Titans' bowlers executed their plans to perfection, while CSK’s batters failed to read the conditions in time, a lapse that ultimately defined the innings.
