Dharmasthala case: Modi govt is with you, BJP's Pralhad Joshi tells Veerendra Heggade
Dharmasthala: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday extended strong support to Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade, stating that the Narendra Modi-led government stands firmly with him in the face of what he called a “conspiracy” surrounding allegations of mass burials in the temple town.
Speaking at a gathering held as part of the BJP’s “Dharmasthala Chalo” rally, Joshi said he would tell Heggade that he has strong support, including from the devotees and the central government. “I will tell the Khawand (Heggade) that no matter what anyone may say, you have Annappa’s blessings, Manjunatha’s grace, support of all these devotees, and along with this, Modi’s government is there,” Deccan Herald quoted Joshi as saying.
The rally witnessed a large turnout of BJP workers and supporters from across various districts. Slogans such as “Bharat Mata Ki Jai,” “Har Har Mahadev,” and “Down with those who conspired against Dharmasthala” echoed through the gathering.
Joshi accused the Siddaramaiah-led government of "appeasement politics" and said allegations of hidden graves at Dharmasthala were intended to malign a major Hindu pilgrimage centre.
Meanwhile, BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra maintained that the rally was not political in nature, adding that only “self-respecting Hindu” volunteers had attended the programme. He urged the government to hand over the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate the “conspiracy” against Dharmasthala.
During the event, MLC Prathap Simha Nayak read out a letter from Veerendra Heggade, in which he thanked the gathering for standing in solidarity with Dharmasthala.
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Pakistan face must-win test against winless Namibia to seal Super 8s berth
Colombo (PTI): With their backs against the wall, former champions Pakistan will rely on their fragile batting to come good after the jolt against India and seal a Super 8s spot when they face struggling Namibia, in their final league fixture, here on Wednesday.
In Group A, title favourites India have already sealed their Super 8s berth after their handsome 61-run win over Pakistan the other day.
The second spot is now up for grabs, with the United States having their nose ahead of Pakistan.
Both teams have four points each but Pakistan are behind on Net Run Rate -- Pakistan have a negative NRR of -0.403, while the USA are comfortably placed at 0.788.
Pakistan's equation is simple -- win against the winless Namibia and make the cut as any slip-up could leave them relying on other permutation and combinations.
Led by Salman Ali Agha, Pakistan's campaign has suddenly entered a tense phase after what was meant to be a straightforward progression turned into a battle for survival following the defeat to India.
The spotlight will firmly be on their fragile batting -- including stalwart Babar Azam, openers Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub and their skipper Agha -- which was exposed in their defeat to India in Colombo.
Former Azam has been under pressure, especially after his seven-ball five against India, with calls for his exclusion growing louder.
After being reduced to 13 for 3 by India's pace duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, Pakistan's middle order offered no resistance -- worrying sign even against a side like Namibia.
Openers Sahibzada and Ayub, along with the middle order, will also need to show greater application.
Pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi also struggled, claiming just one wicket while conceding over 31 runs in his two overs.
The only bright spot was Ayub, who had India's top order in a spot of bother with his three-wicket haul.
Pakistan's key worry is Afridi's inconsistency; his struggle with rhythm and control was glaring when he leaked 15 runs in the crucial final over, handing India the late momentum.
Against Namibia, Afridi must strike early as removing key batters in the first six overs will let Pakistan dictate the match.
Pakistan's powerplay frailties also remain a worry -- they managed barely 40 runs while losing four wickets in the last game.
Frequent middle-order shuffles have created a muddle, putting late-order acceleration in doubt.
Namibia, though winless in three matches so far, have shown flashes of discipline and tactical awareness.
The smart tactics of their skipper Gerhard Erasmus paid dividends against India when the experienced offspinner cleverly released the ball halfway through his run-up and delivered from well behind the stumps to fox Tilak Varma during his splendid 4/20 spell.
He claimed the prized wickets of Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel, and his battle against Pakistan's struggling batters could be a key match-up.
Namibia, often thriving in the underdog role, will look to bow out with pride. If they can drag Pakistan into a low-scoring contest, nerves could once again come into play in what has become a crucial fixture for the 2009 champions.
Left-arm pacer JJ Smuts is also a constant thorn for batsmen, Namibia have the firepower to pull off an upset.
Opening batter Louren Steenkamp has delivered two encouraging knocks, including a half-century, in the previous games, while Jan Nicolaas Frylinck and Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton have added much-needed stability to Namibia's top order.
Teams (from):
Namibia: Gerhard Erasmus (c), Jan Balt, Jack Brassell, Alexander Busing-Volschenk, Jan Frylinck, Zane Green (wk), Max Heingo, Malan Kruger, Dylan Leicher, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Willem Myburgh, Bernard Scholtz, JJ Smit, Louren Steenkamp, Ruben Trumpelmann.
Pakistan: Salman Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan, Usman Tariq.
Match starts 3:00 p.m.
