Shreyas, Chahal script PBKS' 4-wicket win over CSK
Chennai, Apr 30 (PTI): Skipper Shreyas made an excellent fifty to support Yuzvendra Chahal’s hat-trick as Punjab Kings defeated Chennai Super Kings by four wickets in their IPL match here on Wednesday.
Shreyas (72, 41b, 5x4 4x6) and opener Prabhsimran Singh (54, 36b, 5x4, 3x6) were the main run-makers for PBKS as they overhauled the 191-run target in 19.4 overs.
Earlier, Sam Curran’s 88 helped hosts CSK reach a competitive 190 all out despite Chahal taking four wickets including a hat-trick (4/32).
Curran (88, 47b, 9x4, 4x6) found good support from Dewald Brevis (32, 26b, 2x4, 1x6).
For PBKS, leg-spinner Chahal was the was the most successful bowler as pacer Marco Jansen too chipped in with a couple of wickets.
Brief score:
Chennai Super Kings: 190 all out in 20 overs (Sam Curran 88, Dewald Brevis 32; Yuzvendra Chahal 4/32, Marco Jansen 2/30).
Punjab Kings: 194/6 in 19.4 overs (Shreyas Iyer 72, Prabhsimran Singh 54; Matheesha Pathirana 2/45, Khaleel Ahmed 2/28).
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Draconian, direct assault on democracy: Left parties on bills to remove PM, CMs over criminal charge
New Delhi (PTI): Left parties on Wednesday said the new bills that provide for the removal of the prime minister or chief ministers arrested on serious criminal charges, are a direct "assault" on democracy and the federal framework, and vowed to oppose it "tooth and nail".
The government plans to introduce three bills in Parliament on Wednesday for the removal of the prime minister, a Union minister, a chief minister or a minister of a state or Union Territory when arrested or detained on serious criminal charges for 30 days in a row
Flaying the move, CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby said on X that "Modi Govt's 3 bills to oust PM, CMs, Ministers after 30 days in custody expose its neo-fascist characteristics. This direct assault on our democracy will be opposed by CPIM tooth and nail. We urge all democratic forces to unite against this draconian move".
"These bills, cloaked as tackling crime in high office, reveal their true intent given the RSS-controlled Modi govt's history of undermining elected state govts. With SIR, they mark a blatant move to subvert our democracy. All democratic forces must resist," he said on X.
CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas called the bills "draconian".
"The new bill by Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah, purportedly in the name of 'public interest, welfare, and good governance,' is, in reality, draconian and designed to destabilize opposition-led state governments while undermining India’s federal structure," Brittas said in a post on X.
"In an era marked by vindictive politics, where central agencies are deployed against opposition leaders, the provisions will be misused for ulterior motives," he said. The CPI(M) leader said the bill’s reference to “constitutional morality” contradicts its spirit, as it deviates from the established principle that disqualification and punishment should be tied to convictions by courts, not merely charges or arrests. "This principle is clearly enshrined in Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act (RPA). In today’s pernicious political climate, where individuals can be easily charged, arrested, and detained for extended periods, this legislation will be weaponised to target political opponents and erode democratic norms," he said.
CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said the bills will sound the "death knell" for federalism.
"Viewed together with the ongoing systematic subversion of the electoral system starting with the appointment of Election Commissioners to the relentless push for 'One Nation, One Election' system, this amendment will sound the death knell for federalism and parliamentary democracy in India," Bhattacharya said.
"Every state government opposed to the BJP's politics and policies will henceforth be rendered permanently destabilised and dysfunctional. Every NDA ally will be on tenterhooks to fall in line with the BJP," he said in a statement.
"The weaponisation of central agencies like ED, CBI, IT, NIA and the abuse of the Constitutional office of Governors in narrow partisan interest, a trend which has been seriously condemned on several occasions even by the Supreme Court, will now gain legal validity with the enactment of this bill," he added.
The three bills were approved by the Cabinet on Tuesday.
These bills are the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill 2025; the Constitution (One Hundred And Thirtieth Amendment) Bill 2025; and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2025. The Bills are likely to be referred to a committee of Parliament.
