Khalistanis counter-protest Hindus outside Bangladesh high commission in London

LONDON: A protest by Hindus over the lynching of Dipu Das and general persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh outside the Bangladesh high commission in London was met with a counter-protest by Khalistanis on Saturday.More than 500 protesters, mostly Bangladeshi and Indian-origin Hindus shocked by the brutal lynching of garment factory worker Dipu Chandra Das on Dec 18 in Mymensingh, joined the protest and shouted “Hindus Lives Matter”. They carried placards calling for justice for Das, for minorities to be saved, and raising the incarceration of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das.A digital van drove around with flashing images that read “Hindus have right to live.”The protest, organised by Bengali Hindu Adarsha Saangha (UK), was peaceful. Protesters stood behind barriers, on the opposite side of the road to the mission.Then around 10 men arrived directly in front of the high commission holding yellow Khalistani flags, shouting anti-India and anti-Hindu slogans, and praising the recently assassinated extremist Sharif Osman Hadi. Police then arrived to keep the two sides apart.One of the organisers, Prajjwal Biswas, from West Bengal, said, “I don’t know why Khalistanis are protesting as this is not their cause. They are trying to instigate us.”Bangladesh-born Shuchishmita, whose wider family still live in Bangladesh, said, “The persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh is something that has been going on for centuries and no media speaks about it. I am here to ask for justice for the Hindu community. We shouldn’t tolerate what is happening.”Vikram Banerjee, a British PIO whose family migrated from then East Pakistan to India, said: “We want India and the UK to take assertive action. Many innocent Hindus are in grave danger. Western media have ignored the Dipu Das lynching, the British public do not even know about it.”

A new report has made a significant revelation about the future of Gautam Gambhir as the all-format head coach of the India National Cricket Team.

The report claimed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) reached out to the legendary batter, VVS Laxman, for the Test head coach job after India’s series loss to South Africa.

Gautam Gambhir struggling as India head coach in Tests

Since becoming the all-format head coach, Gautam Gambhir has steered Team India to the ICC Champion Trophy 2025 and the Asia Cup 2025 triumphs in a quick span of time.

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India have shown sheer dominance in T20I cricket and instilled fear in the minds of the opposition teams, and in ODIs, they have delivered good performance under Gambhir.

However, when it comes to Test cricket, things have been quite doom and gloom. In the purest format of the game, Gautam Gambhir’s India have struggled badly, and a lot of questions have been raised over the head coach’s tactics.

Gambhir has been under fire for relying more on the all-rounders in a format that demands specialists to get the job done. Also, the head coach has tried to implement a T20I-style formula in Test cricket, which hasn’t worked, and India have been at the receiving end of shocking Test series losses.

Gautam Gambhir oversaw 2 home Test series whitewashes

In his first Test series as head coach at home, Gambhir guided India to a 2-0 triumph over Bangladesh. However, what came next was horrendous as the Indians were whitewashed by the Kiwis at home. It was the first-ever 0-3 clean sweep that India suffered at home in cricket history.

Following that, India lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 1-3. The new cycle of the ICC World Test Championship started with the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England, and a young Indian team drew the series 2-2.

Things started looking good from thereon as India also whitewashed West Indies at home 2-0, but the hosts suffered yet another setback when the Temba Bavuma-led South Africa humbled India with a dominant 2-0 clean sweep.

BCCI looked at VVS Laxman as Gautam Gambhir’s replacement

Now, a report in PTI has revealed that someone who matters in the BCCI had once again informally approached VVS Laxman to check if he would be interested in becoming the Test head coach after India’s loss to South Africa.

VVS Laxman, who was initially seen as Rahul Dravid‘s successor as head coach, denied the job and stated that he is happy being the ‘Head of Cricket’ at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.

Gautam Gambhir has signed a deal till the 2027 ODI World Cup, but that contract could prematurely end depending upon India’s performance in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, as the jury is still out on whether he is the right person to remain at the helm, especially in Test cricket.

“Gambhir does have a strong backing within the power corridors of Indian cricket, and obviously, if India retain the T20 World Cup or at least reach the final, he would be seamlessly continuing with his assignment. However, it would be interesting if Gambhir continues in Tests too,” a BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity.

“His advantage being (that there) aren’t too many alternate options in red ball format since VVS Laxman isn’t interested in coaching the senior Test team,” the source added.

The report also claimed that there is chaos in the Indian dressing room currently, and players aren’t feeling as secure as they did during Rahul Dravid’s tenure.

Also Read: Gautam Gambhir enjoys vacation in England as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma forced into Vijay Hazare Trophy grind

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Supreme Court (Picture credit: ANI)

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognisance of concerns linked to the definition of the Aravali Range, signalling fresh judicial scrutiny of an issue that has sparked protests and debate over mining and environmental protection. According to news agency ANI, a three-judge vacation bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant will hear the matter on Monday.The court’s decision comes amid widespread concern over how the Aravali hills are being defined for regulatory purposes, particularly in relation to mining activities. The definition accepted earlier by the apex court has triggered objections from environmentalists and civil society groups, who fear it could weaken conservation safeguards for one of India’s oldest mountain systems.The Union environment ministry has moved to address some of these concerns by deciding to further expand areas where mining will be prohibited across the Aravali range. The ministry has directed the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) to identify additional landforms and zones where mining should be banned, beyond areas already under restriction.Currently, only about 0.2 per cent of the Aravali’s total area of around 1.4 lakh sq km is eligible for mining, and the new exercise could reduce this further.The ministry has said this step would “further enlarge the coverage of areas protected and prohibited from mining in the entire Aravalis, keeping in mind the local topography, ecology and biodiversity”. States spanning the Aravali range, including Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat, have also been told not to grant any new mining leases until a comprehensive Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM) is finalised.The controversy centres on a 100-metre height-based definition of Aravali hills adopted by the Supreme Court on November 20 for mining-related decisions. Under this definition, a hill is identified as a landform rising 100 metres or more from the lowest enclosing contour, with nearby hills within 500 metres grouped as a range. Environmentalists argue this approach could significantly shrink the area officially recognised as Aravali hills, as much of the range is low-lying.Despite the criticism, the environment ministry has maintained that the new definition does not dilute mining controls and that existing safeguards remain in place. It has also clarified that for mines already in operation, state governments must ensure strict compliance with environmental norms and Supreme Court directions.

Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki celebrates with Erling Haaland (Barrington Coombs/PA via AP)

Rayan Cherki delivered another decisive statement of his growing influence at Manchester City as his late strike secured a 2-1 Premier League win over Nottingham Forest and lifted Pep Guardiola’s side to the top of the table on Saturday. The France international was at the heart of everything City did well at the City Ground. After setting up Tijjani Reijnders for the opening goal early in the second half, Cherki returned in the closing stages to fire home the winner, capping a standout display that underlined his importance to City’s title push. City had to weather sustained pressure from Forest, who matched Guardiola’s men for large spells and were level soon after falling behind. Omari Hutchinson, scoring his first goal for the club, punished a rare City mistake to bring the home side back into the contest and briefly threaten another memorable result against the champions. Guardiola’s team eventually found a way through, extending their winning run to eight matches in all competitions and six straight league victories. The result moved City one point clear of Arsenal, although the Gunners could reclaim top spot later in the day with a home win over Brighton. Before kick-off, Forest paid tribute to club legend John Robertson, who passed away on Christmas Day at the age of 72. The former Scotland winger was a central figure in Forest’s back-to-back European Cup triumphs in 1979 and 1980, and his flair and end product were fondly remembered by the City Ground crowd. Cherki, who joined City from Lyon in the summer, appears to share that same blend of creativity and cutting edge. At just 22, he has quickly become a key figure in Guardiola’s side and, should City edge Arsenal to the title, his contribution is likely to be pivotal. Guardiola had set a stern tone over the festive period, warning his players against excess and making it clear that fitness standards would not be compromised. He even cancelled a planned rest day after last weekend’s win over West Ham. When asked about his squad’s condition, Guardiola joked that he was the only one who had put on weight. Despite that discipline, City looked flat before the break and Forest had the better chances. Morgan Gibbs-White went close after meeting a Callum Hudson-Odoi cross, while City struggled to impose themselves. Erling Haaland, who has 19 league goals by Christmas, the joint-most at this stage in Premier League history, was largely kept quiet. The visitors finally found their rhythm just after the interval. Cherki drifted inside and slipped a clever pass to Reijnders, who finished calmly from 12 yards for City’s first shot on target. Cherki then tested goalkeeper John Victor with a fierce effort moments later. Forest responded swiftly. Reijnders lost possession near his own area, allowing Gibbs-White to release Igor Jesus, whose cross was drilled home by Hutchinson from close range. With City wobbling, Neco Williams forced Gianluigi Donnarumma into a save before Nicolo Savona blazed over from the rebound. The decisive moment arrived in the 83rd minute. A loose ball fell to Cherki just inside the box and the Frenchman lashed an unstoppable finish past Victor. He celebrated by mimicking Haaland’s trademark calm pose in front of the travelling supporters. It was a fitting end to a performance that highlighted why Cherki is fast becoming one of Guardiola’s most trusted match-winners as City continue their relentless pursuit of another Premier League crown.

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