IND vs AUS: Drawn end to rain-interrupted Gabba Test
Brisbane (PTI): The rain-interrupted third Test between India and Australia ended in a draw here on Wednesday, leaving the series tied 1-1 going into the penultimate Test in Melbourne.
India were eight for no loss with Yashasvi Jaiswal (4) and KL Rahul (4) at the crease in their chase of 275 when bad light and rain forced an early tea. Australia made a spirited declaration at 89 for seven in their second innings with more than one session to go.
India's star pacer Jasprit Bumrah led the show with 3/18 in his six overs, aided well by Mohammed Siraj (2/35 in 7 overs) and Akash Deep (2/28). The surprise move from skipper Pat Cummins came after the 18th over when they declared the innings as a two-way result seemed realistic with more than 50 overs possible in the final session.
The third Test had multiple rain interruption across the five days. Earlier, India were all out for 260 in response to Australia's 445. Resuming the day at 252 for nine, India added eight runs in 24 balls. Australia gained a 185-run first innings lead after Akash Deep was stumped off Travis Head's bowling in the 79th over.
Brief Scores:
Australia 1st Innings: 445
India 1st innings: 260 all out in 78.5 overs (KL Rahul 84; Ravindra Jadeja 77; Pat Cummins 4/81).
Australia 2nd Innings: 89/7; 18 overs (Pat Cummins 22, Alex Carey 19 not out; Jasprit Bumrah 3/18, Mohammed Siraj 2/35, Akash Deep 2/28).
India 2nd Innings: 8 for no loss; 2.1 overs.
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No endeavour to build Ayodhya mosque, reclaim land given for it: BJP leader to Adityanath
Ayodhya (UP) (PTI): A BJP leader here has written to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath, asking him to reclaim the land allotted for the construction of a mosque here and claiming that no substantial endeavour has been undertaken to build it.
On November 9, 2019, settling a fractious issue that went back more than a century, a five-judge bench headed by the then CJI Ranjan Gogoi paved the way for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, at the site where the 16th century Babri Masjid once stood. It also ruled that an alternative five-acre plot would be found for a mosque in the holy town.
The Sunni Central Waqf Board later formed the Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation to build a new mosque on the land allotted by the state government in the Dhannipur area of the district.
BJP leader Rajneesh Singh, in his letter to the chief minister on December 10, said that since the apex court's verdict, "no substantial endeavour has been undertaken by the Muslim community to construct the mosque".
Their "intention was never to establish a mosque there but to perpetuate the discord under the pretext of a mosque", he alleged.
"In compliance with the Supreme Court's order, the land allocated to Sunni Central Waqf Board in Ayodhya is being used by the mosque's responsible persons for other purposes. The Muslim community's intention was never to construct the mosque but rather to keep the disturbance and disorder alive under the guise of a mosque. However, this has not been possible due to your leadership," Singh said in the letter to Adityanath.
Asserting that "a mosque is not necessary for offering prayers anyway," he appealed to the chief minister to "issue strict instructions to the officials of the Ayodhya mosque trust to use the land in compliance with the Supreme Court orders".
In case of being unable to do so, issue directives to return the land to the government to prevent its misuse, Singh said.
In a conversation with PTI, he said, "The Muslim community merely wishes to preserve Babar's legacy through this mosque and aims to manipulate Hindu sentiments in the name of Babri Masjid."
When PTI contacted Athar Husain, the secretary of the Ayodhya Masjid Trust, for his reaction to the issue, he refused to comment.
In 2022, Singh petitioned the Allahabad High Court, claiming that the Taj Mahal mausoleum is an ancient temple dedicated to the deity Lord Shiva and is known as the "Tejo Mahalaya".
