India head coach Stimac to serve just one-match ban, to return at helm against Kuwait in SAFF c'ship
Bengaluru (PTI): Head coach Igor Stimac will return to the India dug out in the game against Kuwait on Tuesday after serving one-match ban for his red-card offence against Pakistan in the home side's SAFF Championships opener here.
South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) General Secretary Anwarul Huq told PTI that Stimac's offence was not serious enough to attract a ban of more than one match and as such it will not be referred to the SAFF Disciplinary Committee for further action.
"He (Stimac) will serve a one-match ban, not more than that," he said from Dhaka on Thursday.
He said the report of the referee and match commissioner mentioned the scuffle during the match which had led to Stimac's expulsion from the field of play but it would not be sent to the SAFF Disciplinary Committee.
"It (the offence) was not so serious that it would merit referring the matter to the Disciplinary Committee (for a harsher punishment)."
Stimac, a vastly experienced coach and 1998 World Cup bronze medallist for Croatia, interfered when Pakistan player Abdullah Iqbal was ready to make a throw-in. He tried to pull back the ball from the player, sparking wild reactions from some Pakistani players as well as some coaching staff.
The referee Prajwal Chhetri and other match officials had to intervene to separate the intensely sparring individuals.
As the scuffle was brought under control referee Chhetri showed red card to Stimac, as per the football rules, for interrupting with the actions of an opposition player deliberately.
Stimac could not stand on the sideline for the rest of the match, with former India defending Mahesh Gawli doing the duty on the touchline.
Gawli will also take charge of the Indian team against Nepal on Saturday before Stimac returns for the last group match against Kuwait.
A red card (direct or indirect) generally attracts one-match ban for a player or coach but the punishment can be increased up to suspension of four matches if the offence is grave.
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Maharashtra village goes ‘caste-free’, penalties for abuse, 2-hour student “no-phone” period
New Delhi: A village in Maharashtra's Ahilyanagar district made an effort to redefine social boundaries through a unanimous gram sabha resolution, with residents of Soundala publicly declaring the village "caste-free" earlier this month.
According to a report published by The Print, during a specially convened gram sabha, a resolution was passed on February 5, which calls for the removal of caste-based distinctions from public and social life. It urges residents to interact only on the basis of shared humanity. It also prohibits inquiries into caste identity and affirms equal access to public spaces, religious places, water sources, schools and government services.
Soundala is located about 350 km from Mumbai. It has a population of around 2,500 across nearly 450 families. Majority of the families belong to upper castes while a significant Dalit population, alongside a small number of Muslim and Christian families also live in the village. While overt discrimination had been declining over the years, residents say the resolution gives formal expression to changes that were gradually taking root.
The initiative was led by village sarpanch Sharad Argade. The Print quoted him as saying that the move was initiated because of rising caste and communal tensions in neighbouring areas of the state and he feared that social divisions seen elsewhere could harden in his own village if left unaddressed.
According to Argade, the idea of declaring Soundala caste-free was discussed over time, influenced by social worker Pramod Zinjade and shaped by his family’s long involvement in local politics. Argade’s wife Priyanka, a former sarpanch, is credited by villagers with playing a key role in challenging social norms through her outreach work, which included visiting homes across caste lines.
The resolution states that Soundala will not differentiate on the basis of caste, religion, creed or colour, and adopts the motto “My caste is humanity." The resolution also warns against social or economic boycotts, communal statements and the circulation of inflammatory content on social media, with provisions for penalties.
After the resolution villagers are sharing food in festivals, visiting each other's houses, and attending community events together. Older residents recall a time when Dalits were forced to sit separately at weddings, use different wells, and stay away from upper-caste houses. Members of the Muslim community also spoke of earlier experiences of exclusion that discouraged social interaction.
Soundala has also introduced penalties for verbal abuse, discouraged discriminatory practices against widows and extended financial support for widow remarriage. The gram panchayat also provides educational support to girls up to Class 12 and enforces a daily two-hour “no mobile phone” period for students to encourage study.
Two months before the caste-free resolution, the village had also adopted a practice of playing the national anthem each morning over a loudspeaker. Argade said it was intended to reinforce a shared civic identity.
Acknowledging that caste remains relevant in government policy, particularly in reservation for education and employment, the sarpanch was quoted by The Print as saying that the aim was to confine caste to official records and remove it from daily behaviour.
