Johnson hails welcome in India, says felt like Sachin Tendulkar, Amitabh Bachchan
New Delhi(PTI): The bonhomie between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Prime Minister Boris Johnson was palpable at a media event here on Friday with the UK PM referring to Modi as "khaas dost (special friend)" and calling him by his first name multiple times.
Johnson also appreciated the welcome he received in India, especially in Gujarat, saying he felt a bit like Sachin Tendulkar and his face was ubiquitous like Amitabh Bachchan.
Addressing a joint press event with Modi, "Thank you my friend Narendra, my Khaas dost is the phrase I would (like to) use in Hindi. We have had a fantastic two days here in India."
"Yesterday I became the first conservative prime minister to visit Gujarat, which is your birth place of course Narendra, but as you just said the ancestral home of about half of all the British Indians and I had an amazing reception, absolutely amazing, I felt a bit like Sachin Tendulkar and my face was ubiquitous everywhere as Amitabh Bachchan. I was everywhere to be seen and it was fantastic," Johnson said.
"This morning we have had wonderful talks and they have strengthened our relationship every way," he said.
Johnson said in challenging times it is important that we, the "khaas dost", get closer together.
"I believe the partnership between the UK and India, one of the oldest democracies and the largest democracies, is certainly the most defining of our times," he said.
Johnson arrived in Ahmedabad on Thursday as part of his two-day India trip and visited the famous Sabarmati Ashram and met industrialist Gautam Adani.
In the backdrop of the rapid geopolitical turmoil, Prime Minister Modi and his British counterpart Johnson agreed on a new and expanded India-UK defence partnership and vowed to seal an ambitious free trade agreement by the end of the year.
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Riyan Parag likely to be fined 25 percent of match fees for vaping inside dressing room
New Delhi (PTI): Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag is set to be fined 25 per cent of his match fee for bringing the game into "disrepute" after being caught vaping on camera during the IPL game against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur.
Parag's actions during the Royals' chase on Tuesday night drew condemnation on social media.
PTI has learned that on field umpires Tanmay Srivastava and Nitin Menon had not reported the matter to match referee Amit Sharma right after the game. They only did that after seeing visual proof and Sharma found Parag guilty for a code of conduct breach as per the IPL guidelines.
The Level 1 offences carries 25 per cent deduction from match fees and one demerit point.
"He is set to be fined a portion of his match fees and a demerit point for a Level 1 offence," said an IPL source.
The Indian government had banned e-cigarettes back in 2019, prohibiting their production, sale and distribution. As per the law, the offender faces imprisonment up to one year and/or a Rs one lakh fine for a first time offence.
"Article 2.21 of IPL Code of Conduct is intended to cover all types of conduct that bring the game into disrepute and which is not specifically and adequately covered by the specific offences set out elsewhere in this Code of Conduct, including Article 2.20," the IPL Code of Conduct states.
"By way of example, Article 2.21 may (depending upon the seriousness and context of the breach) prohibit, without limitation, the following: (a) public acts of misconduct; (b) unruly public behaviour; and (c) inappropriate comments which are detrimental to the interests of the game.
"When assessing the seriousness of the offence, the context of the particular situation, and whether it was deliberate, reckless, negligent, avoidable and/or accidental, shall be considered.
"Further, the person lodging the Report shall determine where on the range of severity the conduct lays (with the range of severity starting at conduct of a minor nature (and hence a Level 1 Offence) up to conduct of an extremely serious nature (and hence a Level 4 Offence)."
Since it is a Level 1 offence there was no need for a hearing.
Parag, who has not had the best of times with the bat this IPL, was seen inhaling an e-cigarette, also known as vaping, in the dressing room during the live broadcast of their game against Punjab Kings. Royals won the game to end Kings' unbeaten run in the tournament.
This is not the first controversy to hit the Royals this season. Earlier this month, team manager Romi Bhinder was fined Rs one lakh for breaching PMOA protocol after being found using his phone in the dugout.
IPL and BCCI officials involved in the conduct of the IPL termed it as a careless act in the age of social media and prying TV cameras.
Royals next host Delhi Capitals at home on Friday night.
