VVS Laxman likely to coach India on Ireland tour
New Delhi, May 18: National Cricket Academy chief VVS Laxman is likely to coach the Indian team during the two-match series in Ireland next month as it coincides with the Test squad's preparation in England.
Head coach Rahul Dravid will be with the Test squad in England ahead of the series beginning with the one-off Test from July 1.
The four-day practice game against Leicester ahead of the Test will be played from June 24-27 and that coincides with the two T20s in Ireland on June 26 and June 28.
"In all likelihood, Laxman will be with the T20 squad in Ireland as Dravid will be busy in England with the Test team," a BCCI source told PTI.
A similar situation arose last year when then head coach Ravi Shastri was with the Test team in England and Dravid, who was NCA head at that time, travelled with the limited overs squad to Sri Lanka.
Laxman, who succeeded Dravid at NCA, had travelled with the triumphant India Under-19 side to the World Cup in the Caribbean earlier this year.
There is also a possibility that selectors pick different squads for England and Ireland series.
A full-strength team is expected to be picked for the England tour comprising one Test, three T20s and as many ODIs.
A week after the IPL final, India host South Africa for five T20 Internationals beginning June 9. The squad is expected to be picked on May 22 and all-format senior players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah are likely to be rested.
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UP Cong holds statewide protest seeking probe into FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand
Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Wednesday staged a statewide protest demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the FIR lodged against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and those who filed the complaint against him.
In a statement issued here, the party said memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through district magistrates in all districts of the state.
Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI that the memorandums were handed over through the district administration in all 75 districts.
In the memorandum, the party alleged that Saraswati and his disciples were "unnecessarily harassed and humiliated" by police on the occasion of Amavasya and were prevented from taking a ritual bath (at the Magh Mela). It further alleged that some disciples were manhandled and taken to a police station.
The memorandum also claimed that an FIR was later registered against Saraswati, his disciple Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari and several unidentified persons in a sexual harassment case. It termed the case a "conspiracy" aimed at tarnishing the seer's reputation.
Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, the memorandum stated that these provisions guarantee religious freedom and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.
It described the position of shankaracharya held by Saraswati as "one of the highest spiritual posts in Sanatan tradition" and alleged that the entire episode appeared to have been "orchestrated in a planned manner".
"We request that the background of the persons who got the FIR registered be investigated in a transparent manner by a retired high court judge and strict action be taken against them," the memorandum said.
It also sought a "fair and transparent probe" into the allegations levelled against Saraswati so that the truth could be established.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai had told reporters in Varanasi after meeting Saraswati that the party stood firmly with him.
The Congress said it would continue to press for an impartial inquiry into the entire episode.
On February 21, an FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.
Days after he was booked, Saraswati had said on Monday that he would not oppose his arrest and asserted that the "fabricated story" would be exposed sooner or later.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Saraswati alleged that criminals rule in Uttar Pradesh, level allegations and influence investigations, as he denied having any contact with the two persons for whose alleged sexual abuse he has been booked.
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