Hockey great Ashok Kumar suffers heart attack; to undergo angioplasty
New Delhi (PTI): Former India hockey player and son of legendary Major Dhyan Chand, Ashok Kumar suffered a heart attack after being hospitalised here for discomfort in chest but is now stable and out of danger, sources in his family said on Monday.
The 74-year-old will undergo an angioplasty later on Monday.
"He (Ashok Kumar) felt discomfort in chest yesterday (Sunday) evening. He was then taken to Escorts Hospital where angiography was performed. The angiography results showed there were a few blockages. The doctors will implant stents today," family sources told PTI.
"He is out of danger and in a stable condition."
The former inside-right player, who was known for his ball control, was a member of the Indian team that won the 1975 World Cup under Ajit Pal Singh. He was also a member of Indian team that won a bronze medal in the 1972 Munich Olympics.
He became a recipient of the Arjuna Award in 1974 and, in 1975, scored the winning goal against Pakistan to achieve India's only win in the World Cup.
Kumar was awarded the Hockey India Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award earlier this year.
His other accomplishments include two more World Cup medals (bronze in 1971 Barcelona and silver in 1973 Amsterdam), besides three Asia Games silver medals (1970 Bangkok, 1974 Tehran and 1978 Bangkok).
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New Delhi: Opposition MPs have urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to extend the tenure of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. They argued that a mere three-month period to finalise the report is insufficient given the legislation's broad implications.
The MPs highlighted that the bill proposes extensive changes to existing laws, impacting a significant portion of the population. “Rushing the report could lead to improper recommendations,” the opposition members stated in their letter to the Speaker.
Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee noted after a meeting with Birla that the Speaker had assured them of an extension to allow more stakeholders to present their views.
The letter also criticised the inclusion of “irrelevant organisations and individuals” in the JPC’s discussions and pointed out that several state governments, including Bihar, New Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh, have yet to appear before the committee.
The Winter Session of Parliament, which begins today, includes the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, among the bills set for consideration. The bill aims to digitise records, introduce stricter audits, enhance transparency, and reclaim illegally occupied properties.
The JPC has conducted 25 sittings so far, engaging with government officials, legal experts, Waqf Board members, and community representatives across states and Union Territories. However, opposition MPs stressed that hastily finalising the report could undermine the legislative process and diminish Parliament’s credibility.
