Indian women's compound team secures gold medal at Asian Games
Hangzhou (PTI): Indian women's compound team rallied to down their Chinese Taipei rivals by one-point in a tense final to secure a second gold medal in archery at the Asian Games here on Thursday.
The top-seeded reigning world champion trio of Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Aditi Swami and Parneet Kaur shot 60 out of 60 in a perfect final end to overcome their third-seeded rivals 230-229 in the last three arrows and seal their fifth medal in archery.
This was India's second gold in this edition of the continental showpiece after Jyothi and Ojas Deotale secured the top spot in the podium in the compound mixed team event on Wednesday.
With this, India have assured themselves of at least five medals in archery at the continental showpiece.
India have also bettered their best-ever feat that came at Incheon 2014 where they had a share of one gold, one silver and one bronze.
Deotale and Verma, by virtue of setting up an all-Indian final in men's compound individual, have assured of two medals, while Jyothi confirmed at least a silver by advancing into the women's compound individual summit clash.
Earlier, India had crushed their fourth-seeded opponents 233-219 to set up a gold medal clash against Chinese Taipei.
The top-seeded Indian trio also had an easy win in the quarterfinal eliminating lower-ranked Hong Kong 231-220.
The Indonesian team of Ratih Zilizati Fadhly, Syahara Khoerunisa, Sri Ranti had advanced into the semis with a tough 232-229 win over formidable Kazakhstan.
The Indians mounted early pressure with a perfect start, shooting all 10s in their first set of six arrows as their rivals slipped to 51 to concede a nine-point lead.
Indonesia failed to recover from thereon, while India's Parneet Kaur, their lowest-ranked qualifier stepped up in style as India capped a massive 14-point win.
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K'taka Cong to protest against replacing MGNREGA, 'hate politics' in National Herald case
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said that the ruling Congress in the state will hold protests against the central government's move to replace the existing rural employment law MGNREGA, and the alleged "hate politics" against the party leadership in the National Herald case on December 17.
The state Congress president said that the protest led by him and CM Siddaramaiah will be held in front of Gandhi state at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha here on Wednesday, and similar protests will also be held at all district and taluka centres of the state.
The party also plans to raise the issues in the state legislature here.
"The agitation has become necessary. Tomorrow at 9.30 am, the chief minister, myself, all ministers, MLAs and MLCs will stage a protest in front of the Gandhi statue. Everyone will participate," Shivakumar said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said the protests will also be held in all district and taluk centres including Bengaluru, and there is also a plan for a programme on Saturday, details of which will be shared later.
"In Assembly too there is a need to discuss this and for it to go into records, we are making preparations for it....the protest is against removing Mahatma Gandhi's name from MGNREGA, and against the hate politics towards Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Congress leaders," he added.
The Congress' move, came as the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, that seeks to replace the existing rural employment law MGNREGA, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday amid strong objections by the opposition to the "removal" of Mahatma Gandhi's name from it.
Also, a court in Delhi on Tuesday refused to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate's money laundering charge against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and five others in the National Herald case.
Alleging that Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were "harassed" in connection with the National Herald case, Shivakumar said several people, including him, had given funds to help the party related organisation, and they too were being troubled.
"My brother D K Suresh (former MP) and I were supposed to appear before the Delhi police in connection with the National Herald case. We had written a letter to them seeking a FIR copy. Chargesheet was filed by ED in the case without an FIR," he claimed.
Pointing to the Delhi Court's decision, the Deputy CM said, "This is proof that the legal system in the country is still alive. This also proves that the power is being misused (by those in the central government) to harass political opponents."
Highlighting that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru started the National Herald in 1937, and that it is Congress' property, Shivakumar, questioning the validity of the ED case, said, "As Congress presidents (in past) Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had their shares, it was not their own. Similarly, if we as Congress workers don't donate to the party organisation, who else will?"
Shivakumar also said that the move to rename MNREGA is with an intention to "insult" Gandhi and to weaken the scheme by reducing its funding.
