'Why's he mincing words?': AIMIM chief Owaisi targets NSA Doval over bigotry remark
Jaipur, Jul 31: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday targeted National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, saying that he should tell everyone who is spreading religious bigotry in the country.
"We were expecting that NSA should tell everyone who are these 'some elements' who are spreading bigotry. Why is he mincing words? He should tell," Owaisi told reporters here today.
Doval on Saturday urged leaders of various faiths to counter the radical forces trying to create animosity in the name of religion and ideology that adversely affects the country and has international ramifications.
"Some people try to create animosity in the name of religion that adversely affects the entire country and also has ramifications internationally," Doval said at the conference held in the backdrop of a number of incidents of religious discord in the country.
Everyone should raise their voice against religious bigotry, the NSA said at an interfaith conference - organised by the All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council - which passed a resolution advocating a ban on organisations like Popular Front of India (PFI) for pursuing a "divisive agenda" and indulging in "anti-national activities".
However, Owaisi did not answer a question on whether the PFI should be banned in the country.
When asked that he is considered the hardliner in the country, Owaisi quipped, "In India, we are the only hardliners and all others are pure."
Owaisi was here to take part in an event.
Talking about the political crisis in Sri Lanka, he said the situation was created as the Sri Lankan government hid the unemployment and price rise from people of the country.
"Data should be revealed. We expect that such a situation does not arise in India," he said.
He also alleged that the executive is making efforts to weaken the legislature in the Parliament because of which debates have reduced.
In the Monsoon session, 14 bills were introduced in the Parliament and passed in a few minutes. Parliament sittings are held for 60-65 days in a year so in such a case how will the public issues will be raised, he added.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Skipper Curran, bowlers lead PBKS to a five-wicket win over RR
Guwahati, May 15: Skipper Sam Curran played the lead act hitting a well-paced fifty and taking two wickets, as Punjab Kings consigned Rajasthan Royals to a five-wicket defeat in their IPL match here on Wednesday.
The target was a mere 145, but Kings made heavy weather of it on a sluggish track here but Curran (63 not out, 41b, 5x4, 3x6) had a calm head and skills to lift them to their fifth win of the season. PBKS made 145/5 in 18.5 overs.
The Englishman received good support from Jitesh Sharma (22, 20b) as the pair added 63 runs in a fluent fifth wicket partnership.
For Royals, it was their fourth defeat on the trot, but they remained second on the table with 16 points with a qualification to the playoffs to boot with.
The Kings’ chase began on a shaky note as they lost Prabhsimran Singh in the first over itself to Trent Boult.
But bigger jolts were in store as an impressive Avesh Khan (2/28) scalped two wickets in the fifth over.
The right-arm pacer first plucked the important wicket of Rilee Rossouw, who played some strong shots in his 13-ball 22, and then jettisoned in-form Shashank Singh for a two-ball naught.
Shashank failed to connect a fuller, straighter one from Avesh while attempting a flick, and the 141 kmph delivery thudded on his bat. Shashank did not even bother to use DRS as he walked away.
Punjab gained some ground through the alliance between Curran and Jitesh, who smoked R Ashwin for two sixes.
Curran too gave a dose of punishment to the veteran offie, lofting him for a wonderful six over extra cover.
But the blossoming stand was snapped by Yuzvendra Chahal (2/31), leaving PBKS at 111 for five in the 16th over.
However, Curran and Ashutosh Sharma (17 not out, 11 balls) knocked off the remaining runs without further drama.
Earlier, despite a well-tuned 48 from local hero Riyan Parag, RR struggled against an array of accurate bowlers on a rather slow pitch, meandering to a sub-par 144 for nine.
R Ashwin (28, 19b, 3x4, 1x6) and Parag (48, 34, 6x4) tried to accelerate during their 50-run stand for the fourth wicket but it could only bring in a temporary momentum for RR.
In fact, lethargy had set in very early in the Rajasthan innings after the early loss of Jaiswal, who chopped a Curran (2/24) delivery back on to his stumps.
Sanju Samson (18), who went past 500-run in a season for the first time in his IPL career, and Tom-Kohler Cadmore (18, 23b) stitched 36 runs for the second wicket but took six overs for it.
But with Curran and Arshdeep finding a hint of swing and maintaining a good line, scoring was not an easy proposition for the RR batters.
Eventually, Samson, who tried a hopping cut off pacer Nathan Ellis, gave a simple catch to Rahul Chahar at point in the seventh over.
Cadmore too returned to the dugout in the next over, as his almighty heave off leg-spinner Chahar (2/26) could not progress beyond Jitesh in the deep.
Those twin dismissals actually paved the way for the best phase in the Royals’ innings as Ashwin and Parag pressed their foot on the right pedal.
Ashwin displayed his batting skills, smashing Chahar for 17 runs in the 12th over that included a sequence of 6, 4, 4 and the first four was a stunning reverse scoop over backward point.
But he could not further extend his innings, lofting Arshdeep to Shashank.
Parag, usually a free-flowing batter, had to curb his flair in front of a hugely adoring home crowd because of the regular fall of wickets at the other end.
But a late cut off Curran that sped to third man stood as a testament of his ability and timing as he also moved past the 500-run mark for the season, before getting trapped in front of the wicket by Harshal Patel.
However, apart from conquering those little peaks the RR batters failed to slip into the top gear consistently.
