Prachanda's remark on India stirs up storm in Nepal; Opposition demands PM's resignation
Kathmandu (PTI): Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda's stunning remarks that an Indian businessman settled here "once made efforts" to make him the premier has stirred up a storm in the Himalayan Nation with the Opposition demanding his resignation.
Prachanda also said that Sardar Pritam Singh, a pioneer trucking entrepreneur in Nepal, played a special and historic role in enhancing Nepal-India relations.
Prachanda made these remarks on Monday while addressing a function to launch the book, Roads to the Valley: The Legacy of Sardar Pritam Singh in Nepal'
"He (Singh) had once made efforts to make me the prime minister," Prachanda said.
"He travelled to Delhi several times and held multiple rounds of talks with political leaders in Kathmandu to make me the prime minister," the Prime Minister said.
Prachanda also said that Singh has played a special and historic role in enhancing Nepal-India relations.
The remarks have stirred up a storm and drawn criticism from several quarters.
The main Opposition party Communist Party of Nepal-(Unified Marxist-Leninist) (CPN-UML) disrupted the National Assembly meeting on Wednesday, demanding the prime minister's resignation. The meeting has been postponed to 1 pm Thursday.
Chairman of CPN-UML, KP Sharma Oli talking to media persons on Wednesday said that they want resignation from the Prime Minister, not a clarification.
Demanding the prime minister's resignation, former prime minister Oli said, "his remarks have given a blow to national independence, dignity, the Constitution and the parliament itself."
Similarly, the House of Representatives meeting has been postponed until 3 pm Friday, following the disruption by opposition parties the UML, the Rashtriya Swatantra Party, and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) over Prachanda's remarks.
The members of the main Opposition Communist CPN-UML and the RPP shouted slogans that "a Prime Minister appointed by New Delhi does not have the right to continue in the post".
Speaking in the lower house, UML lawmaker Raghuji Pant said, "The prime minister should resign on moral grounds. We don't need a prime minister appointed by Delhi."
Not only the opposition, but the ruling parties have also expressed their dissatisfaction with Prachanda's statement.
"The prime minister's remarks are worthy of criticism. His remarks are wrong," said Bishwa Prakash Sharma talking to journalists after the House meeting on Wednesday.
This is not the first time Nepal's top leaders have courted controversy for their imprudent remarks over sensitive issues such as geopolitics, bilateral relations and other national issues.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has clarified his controversial remarks about Sardar Pritam Singh at a book launch on Sunday saying that "it has been misinterpreted to cause a stir."
Addressing a training program organised by All Nepal National Independent Students Union, a sister organisation of his party in the capital on Wednesday, Prime Minister Prachanda said that what he had said about Pritam Singh at the launching of the book 'Roads to the Valley' (The Legacy of Sardar Pritam Singh in Nepal) authored by Kirandeep Sandhu was quoted from what Pritam Singh had said in the book, but people are trying to make a fuss over it.
"I wanted to show that Pritam Singh was not only interested in social service and transport business but also in politics and that he had lobbied with parties in Delhi as well as in Nepal to make him Prime Minister."
"In my opinion, the Prime Minister might not intend to indicate India's intervention in Nepal's internal politics. But he should have used political and diplomatic words in a cautious manner while speaking about such a sensitive issue," said Ganesh Shah, CPN-Maoist Centre secretary while giving his comment on the Prime Minister's controversial remarks.
The Parliament was dwelling on serious and important issues but unfortunately, his remarks made its postponement lose valuable time, which could have otherwise been used for fruitful discussions, he pointed out.
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Late flourish masks CSK’s batting woes on lively Chepauk track, hosts post 158/7
Chennai (PTI): Bowlers calling the shots in a format dominated by big hitters is a rarity, but that script played out at Chepauk on Sunday as Gujarat Titans exploited a lively, bounce-friendly surface to stifle Chennai Super Kings before the hosts managed a late flourish to reach 158 for 7.
On a pitch that offered sharp carry, stroke-making demanded discretion and adaptability. Instead, CSK’s batters often opted for high-risk shots without fully assessing conditions, and paid the price with a flurry of miscued dismissals.
Invited to bat, CSK never quite found rhythm but skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad’s maiden half-century (74 not out) of the current IPL season lent a semblance of respectability to the total in a season where 200-plus scores have become commonplace.
Gaikwad's knock came off 60 balls with six fours and four sixes after a laboured start.
The tone was set early by GT pacer Mohammed Siraj, who extracted steep bounce and forced errors.
Sanju Samson (11) began watchfully, negotiating the first over before opening up against Kagiso Rabada to bring up his 5000 IPL runs milestone. However, Rabada’s bounce soon accounted for him as a hard slash outside off resulted in a faint edge that Jos Buttler pouched safely.
The dismissal triggered a collapse. Urvil Patel (4) fell in the same Rabada over attempting an ambitious pull, while Sarfaraz Khan (0) succumbed to Siraj’s extra lift, mistiming a short ball to offer a simple catch.
At 28 for 3 inside the Powerplay, CSK were already in trouble.
Gaikwad and Dewald Brevis (2) needed to rebuild, but the latter’s impatience against spinner Manav Suthar led to his downfall, holing out after failing to get to the pitch of the ball.
The mounting wickets forced Gaikwad into a shell — an approach that, while understandable, further stalled the momentum. His reluctance to improvise allowed dot balls to pile up, with CSK reaching 50 only in the 12th over.
The skipper eventually broke free, taking on Arshad Khan and Jason Holder with a couple of towering sixes, but the acceleration came too late.
Shivam Dube, dropped thrice on 6, 11 and 22, struggled for fluency before Arshad cleaned him up.
Kartik Sharma (15) and Jamie Overton (18) provided late impetus with a few lusty hits, but the damage had already been done.
On a pitch that rewarded discipline and smart shot selection, Titans' bowlers executed their plans to perfection, while CSK’s batters failed to read the conditions in time, a lapse that ultimately defined the innings.
