London: The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) on Sunday "unreservedly apologised" to the Australian team after its few members allegedly abused several visiting players in the Lord's Long Room following Jonny Bairstow's controversial dismissal on the fifth day of the second Ashes Test. 

In the 52nd over, Bairstow ducked a slow bouncer from Cameron Green and ventured out of the crease thinking that the ball was already 'dead'. However, Alex Carey broke the stumps and third umpire Marais Erasmus adjudged it stumped in favour of Australia.

Chasing a stiff 371 to win the match, England were at 193 for 5 with Bairstow at 10 at that time.

Soon the Lord's crowd booed Australia with chants of "same old Aussies, always cheating".

When the players walked through the Long Room, Australian opener Usman Khawaja was seen stopping and confronting a MCC member. He was pulled back by security guards. Warner could also been seen making a comment to some of the members. The booing continued as the Australian players climbed the stairs.

"The Long Room is unique in world cricket and the great privilege of players passing through the Pavilion is very special. After this morning’s play, emotions were running high, and words were unfortunately exchanged with some of the Australian team, by a small number of members," the MCC said in a statement.

"We have unreservedly apologised to the Australian Team and will deal with any Member who has not maintained the standard we expect through our disciplinary processes. It was not necessary to eject anyone from the ground and I am pleased to say that there was no repeat of this as the players resumed the field for this afternoon’s session." 

Australian team management had also requested the MCC to investigate the incidents involving spectators in the members' area.

"Australian management has requested the Marylebone Cricket Club investigate several incidents involving spectators in the members area during lunch on day five of the Lord’s Test,” Cricket Australia said in a statement. 

"It is alleged players and staff from the Australian team were verbally abused, with some being physically contacted, as they made their way to lunch through the members area."

 

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New Delhi (PTI): The BJP on Saturday accused the Karnataka Congress government of being "anti-Hindu" and following double standards after students appearing for the Common Entrance Test (CET) were allegedly asked to remove their 'janeu'.

A political row erupted after five Brahmin students were allegedly forced to remove the thread, considered sacred and worn across the torsos, at a city college in during the CET on Friday.

Students alleged that the invigilators at Madivala asked them to remove their janeu/yajnopaveetha if they wanted to write the exam.

In a video post on X, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla lambasted the act.

"Is it a crime to be a Hindu in Karnataka? In Karnataka, students were stopped from entering the examination hall for wearing a janeu and were given a brutal option -- choose your faith or your future. This happened last year as well," Poonawalla alleged.

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He accused the Karnataka government of practising double standards and engaging in appeasement politics.

"In Karnataka, we have seen the politics of appeasement. Muslim reservation, a Muslim-only budget, and quotas and contractual work for Muslims. But Hindus have to remove their sacred thread if they want to take an exam, which even the courts have, by the way, allowed," he alleged.

He accused the Congress government of adopting a similar approach in other states where it is in power, while allowing hijab and burka in classrooms.

"It has happened in various Congress-ruled states. We have seen that the Congress party advocates the right to hijab and burkha within the classroom. They say this should be allowed. Even the courts have overruled it.

"But in the case of janeu, they want it to be removed. This is not the first time this has happened. In Telangana and other states, the tilak and mangalsutra were removed. But hijab is fine. This is the kind of second-class treatment being given to Hindus," he added.

Poonawalla said the Congress should rename itself from INC to "MMC -- Muslim League Maowadi Congress" or the "Islamic National Caliphate Party".

As the controversy took a political turn, the college suspended the invigilator pending inquiry. The government also ordered a probe.

The police registered a case and detained three staff members of Krupanidhi College who were in charge of examination checking for questioning, officials said.

A similar incident took place last year in Karnataka, following which the government directed that the candidates would not be asked to remove the janeu while appearing for the CET.