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NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to deny bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 north-east Delhi riots case.Party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla hailed the verdict as “Satyameva Jayate” and demanded that the Congress must apologize for “defending” the accused.
Following the verdict, Poonawalla wrote in a post on X: “Satyameva Jayate… Prima facie allegations are true… Organised not organic, Sponsored not spontaneous. Congress must apologise for its support to tukde tukde gang from Afzal to Umar and Sharjeel.”
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The BJP spokesperson justified the stand that the Delhi riots were not spontaneous. He demanded an apology from the Congress party, alleging that it had supported those accused of playing a key role in the violence.Speaking to reporters, Poonawalla said, “Today we would say Satyamev Jayate. The Supreme Court has denied bail to the poster boys of the ‘Tukde Tukde Gang’, Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, whose role in the Delhi riots and charges against UAPA have been prima facie found to be true. It shows that the Delhi riots were not organic but organised, not spontaneous but sponsored.”He further alleged that Congress had continued to defend the accused despite serious allegations against them. “Unfortunately, the Congress Party continued to defend Sharjeel and Umar. These people who wanted to cut and dissect India into pieces. Today they must apologise… The Congress Party and its ecosystem must apologise today,” he added.The Supreme Court had denied bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in a case linked to an alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 north-east Delhi riots. However, the court granted bail to Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmad.The court observed that Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam stood on a “qualitatively different footing” compared to the other accused, observing that their roles were “central” to the alleged offences.It held that their continued incarceration did not violate constitutional safeguards or override the statutory embargo under applicable laws.The judgment was delivered by a bench of Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice NV Anjaria on bail pleas filed by the accused. The apex court had earlier reserved its verdict on December 10 after hearing detailed arguments from all sides.
During the hearings, lawyers appearing for the accused argued that the prolonged incarceration of over five years and delays in the trial warranted bail. They also contended that there was no evidence to show that the accused had instigated violence.Opposing the pleas, the Delhi Police argued that the alleged offences were part of a deliberate and well-orchestrated conspiracy. It claimed the violence was planned to destabilise the state and coincided with the visit of the then US President to India to draw international attention. According to the police, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was used as a “radicalising catalyst” under the guise of peaceful protests.The violence during protests against the CAA and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) in February 2020 left 53 people dead and over 700 injured.
The former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has dropped a diplomatic stance on Bangladesh’s demand to shift their matches in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026 out of India. They want to play their matches in Sri Lanka, the joint host of the tournament next month.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has officially asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to move its ICC T20 World Cup 2026 matches out of India, raising safety and security concerns.
As the ICC faces a mounting diplomatic and logistical challenge, Harbhajan Singh has emphasized India’s proven track record as a safe and welcoming host for all international teams.
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At the same time, Harbhajan stressed that whether Bangladesh wants to play in India or shift their ICC T20 World Cup 2026 matches to Sri Lanka is ultimately their choice, and the final call rests with the governing body and BCB itself. However, he slammed the current situation of Hindus in Bangladesh.
The former World Cup winner also believes that the ICC must take a balanced decision that respects all sides, not through public pressure or emotional reactions, especially with the upcoming showpiece event just weeks away from beginning.
Harbhajan Singh was quoted as saying by ANI, “Due to the various events that have taken place in the past few days, Bangladesh does not want to come to India. Whatever happened in Bangladesh is wrong. ICC needs to make a decision on their request. We welcome everyone to India, but whether they want to come here or not is their choice.”
The BCB moved to ICC after the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) removed Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 squad on the BCCI’s directive following intense demand from the fans and political leaders in the wake of reported killings and harassment of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.
The situation escalated further when the Bangladesh government announced that the upcoming IPL 2026 broadcasts would be suspended in the country.
Until further notice, IPL matches and related programs will not be telecasted in Bangladesh, showing how serious the situation has become.
Read Also: Mustafizur Rahman’s condition really bad amid IPL exit, India-Bangladesh row? Big revelation emerges
The ICC has been pushed into urgent action as rising tension between India and Bangladesh threatens to disrupt plans for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
It is being said that the ICC has started working on a backup schedule after the BCB officially asked for its matches to be shifted out of India.
Bangladesh have requested that their games be moved to Sri Lanka, citing growing concerns over safety and security as relations between the two countries continue to worsen.
The request has put the ICC in a tight spot, as the tournament is set to begin on February 7, leaving very little time to reshuffle venues, logistics, teams’ travel plans, and broadcast arrangements. Now, all eyes are on the ICC’s next move.
NEW DELHI: In what seems to be a last-moment decision, star batter Virat Kohli will not play Delhi’s Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Railways on Tuesday, January 6, in Bengaluru.As per BCCI guidelines, Kohli had played two matches for Delhi earlier in the tournament, against Andhra and Gujarat. He scored 131 and 77 in those games, helping Delhi register back-to-back wins. After missing the next three matches, there was expectation that Kohli could feature in one more game before joining the India squad for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand starting Sunday. That, however, will not happen, and Delhi will play the Railways match without him as they look to stay on top of Group D.
“No, he is not available,” Delhi coach Sarandeep Singh confirmed to Hindustan Times.The BCCI mandate required centrally contracted players to play at least two Vijay Hazare Trophy matches. Kohli fulfilled that requirement with his appearances earlier in the tournament.DDCA president Rohan Jaitley had earlier said last week that Kohli would play the match against Railways.During his two outings for Delhi, Kohli was in form, scoring 131 and 77. In the process, he became the fastest player to reach 16,000 List A runs, achieving the milestone in his 330th innings. He went past Sachin Tendulkar, who reached the mark in 391 innings.The ODI series against New Zealand begins on January 11.Had Kohli played, the Railways match would have seen him face pacer Himanshu Sangwan, who had dismissed him in what turned out to be Kohli’s final red-ball match of his career. Kohli’s absence comes with the New Zealand series close, following his white-ball form last year when he scored 302 runs against South Africa. With Rohit Sharma having already played two matches for Mumbai, both senior batters have now completed their domestic appearances this season.
AMRITSAR: The officiating Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj, has summoned Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann to appear at its secretariat on Jan 15 over alleged “anti-Sikh remarks”, “objectionable conduct”, and a recently surfaced video that the Takht says deeply hurt Sikh sentiments.Mann posted on X that he would appear before Sri Akal Takht Sahib as a “humble and devout Sikh instead of a chief minister”. “Any command from Sri Akal Takht Sahib Ji is accepted with full reverence and will be obeyed. I will walk barefoot before Sri Akal Takht Sahib,” he said.Mann said though the President is visiting Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar on Jan 15, he would still obey the Takht summons. “For me, Sri Akal Takht Sahib Ji is above everything. The command received from the sacred Takht is, was, and will always be supreme to me and my family,” he said. Jathedar Gargajj said the CM, despite holding a high constitutional office, repeatedly made statements that challenged “Sikh Rehat Maryada (code of religious conduct)”, supremacy of Akal Takht, and sanctity of Guru Ki Golak. “These comments reflect an arrogance of power and an anti-Sikh mindset,” Gargajj alleged.Clarifying why the CM was not summoned to appear at the facade (Fasil) of Akal Takht, the jathedar said that Bhagwant Mann is a “patit (apostate)” and, according to Sikh tradition, cannot be summoned to appear at Fasil. “Therefore, he was summoned to personally appear at the secretariat of Akal Takht at 10am on Jan 15 to submit his explanation,” Gargajj said.Jathedar Gargajj said a controversial video that had recently surfaced would be subjected to forensic examination and, if found authentic, strict Panthic action would follow.Mann got support from rather unexpected quarters. BJP criticised the Akal Takht summons, with party Punjab spokesperson Sarchand Singh calling it a “well-orchestrated exercise” to shield senior Shiromani Akali Dal leaders and those who are facing arrest over the 328 missing sacred saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Invoking “religious defiance” was a tactic to exert pressure on the CM and obstruct the SIT investigation, he said. He said there is no Panthic tradition of summoning a ‘patit’ Sikh even at the Akal Takht secretariat.
NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh commissioned the Indian Coast Guard‘s (ICG) first indigenously designed and built pollution control vessel ‘Samudra Pratap’ in Goa on Monday, saying the ship will “bolster India’s self-confidence”. The 114.5-metre vessel, built by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), has over 60% of indigenous content.During the commissioning of ‘Samudra Pratap’ in Goa, the defence minister said, “”Commissioning of this ship will increase our strength. This ship is the symbol of our collective resolve. When this ship advances against the waves, then our Coast Guard and India’s self-confidence will also be bolstered. I have been told that this ship is designed with a focus on pollution control, but I also believe it is capable of search and rescue operations, coastal patrol and is important in strengthening maritime safety.“
‘Samudra Pratap’, which is a significant milestone in India’s journey towards self-reliance in defence production, is also the largest ship in the Indian Coast Guard’s (ICG) fleet, significantly enhancing its operational reach and capability.“It is a product of the modern approach adopted by GSL, to enhance flexibility and readiness to deal with present-day maritime challenges,” Rajnath said, adding, “Our Coast Guard has instilled such fear in the minds of our enemies that if anyone dares to even cast an eye toward our borders, the Coast Guard will leave them in no condition to do so again.”He said the ‘Samudra Pratap’ commissioning is linked to the country’s grand maritime vision, which recognises that marine resources are not the property of any single nation but the shared heritage of humanity. “When a heritage is shared, the responsibility for its protection is also shared. That is why India today stands firmly on the global stage, guided by the principles of peace, stability, and environmental responsibility,” he said.On X, ICG said. “Built by GSL with over 60% indigenous content, the 114.5 metre, 4,200 tonnes vessel boasts a speed of more than 22 knots and an endurance of 6,000 nm, significantly enhancing the ICG’s pollution response, fire-fighting, and maritime safety and security capabilities.”Equipped with advanced systems, ‘Samudra Pratap’ will significantly enhance ICG’s capability to address oil spills, maritime emergencies and security challenges in exclusive economic zones and beyond. It has been designed and constructed in-house to meet the coast guard’s specific operational requirements.The vessel is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including a 30mm CRN-91 gun, two 12.7mm stabilised remote-controlled guns with integrated fire control systems, an indigenously developed integrated bridge system, integrated platform management system, automated power management system, and a high-capacity external firefighting system, as per ICG. The ship will be based at ICG’s Kochi base.Hailing India as a responsible maritime power, the Defence Minister said that, “At a time when the world is passing through an era of global maritime uncertainty, India has repeatedly proven that it safeguards not only its own interests but also ensures peace and stability across the entire Indo-Pacific region. This inclusive approach of moving forward together is what makes India a responsible maritime power.”“We must shape norms in the field of maritime governance, strengthen capacity-building initiatives and advance cooperative frameworks. The Indian Coast Guard must elevate its operational doctrines, institutional practices, and technological innovations to such benchmarks that their best practices are followed worldwide,” he said.
BENGALURU: A timely phone call from an alert citizen to the child helpline (1098) Saturday morning averted what officials suspect to be a case of child sacrifice in Sulibele, near Hoskote, around 50km from Bengaluru. Acting on the tip-off, officials rescued an eight-month-old boy from a house in Janata Colony and later lodged a complaint with Sulibele police, who detained the couple claiming to be the child’s parents for questioning.
Police said the incident came to light after the district child protection machinery swung into action following the anonymous call received around 10.40am. The caller warned that an infant was about to be sacrificed by its parents as part of a ritual to unearth hidden treasure, allegedly planned for a full-moon day. Though the address provided was vague, the caller shared his mobile number before disconnecting.
Vendor-Couple Adopted Him Illegally: Cops
District child protection officer Anita Lakshmi said the child helpline staff immediately alerted her office. However, tracing the location proved challenging. “The address was not very clear, and even when we called the informer again, he appeared confused. Still, we managed to identify the house mentioned in the call,” Lakshmi told TOI.What the officials found inside raised immediate alarm. In the house, they noticed a freshly dug pit measuring roughly 2.5 feet by 2 feet. When questioned about the purpose of the pit, the vendor couple living there failed to give a clear or consistent explanation. Lakshmi said, “Our priority was the child. When we asked where the infant was, they claimed the baby had been left at a relative’s house. That sounded odd. Why would parents leave an eight-month-old elsewhere, especially when both of them were at home?”Repeated questioning did not yield convincing answers. Eventually, after sustained pressure from the officials, the couple contacted someone from the neighbourhood, who then brought the infant to the house. By this time, Sulibele police had also reached the spot and assisted the child protection team in securing the baby.The baby boy was immediately shifted to a rehabilitation centre. Officials said the child was in good health and responding well to caregivers. “The infant is fine and adjusting well with our staff. The immediate danger has passed, but the case has to be taken to its logical conclusion,” she said.During preliminary investigation, police discovered that the couple were not the biological parents of the child. A senior police officer said the infant had been illegally adopted from a daily-wagers in Kolar. The biological parents are currently untraceable and are suspected to have moved out of the area. “We are making efforts to trace them,” the officer said.The couple, who work as vendors in the Sulibele marketplace, have denied planning any human sacrifice. However, police said their statements regarding the pit were contradictory.Based on the complaint filed by the district child protection committee, along with photographs of the pit, police said they would register the case under the Karnataka Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices and Black Magic Act, 2017, along with relevant provisions of child protection laws. The investigation is ongoing.
Mumbai: A temple corridor connecting Mumbadevi, Babulnath, Mahalaxmi and Siddhivinayak temples will be created to promote religious tourism in Mumbai, said Pavan Tripathi, the BJP Mahamantri for Mumbai. Tripathi, who was deeply involved in the selection of candidates for the BMC elections, expressed confidence that the Mahayuti would win 150 seats, of which the BJP would bag more than 100.Speaking to TOI, Tripathi said there is no Marathi-non-Marathi issue in this election. The BJP, he said, provided homes to the Marathi Manoos, with the BDD chawls being a prime example. The sin of forcing the Marathi Manoos out of Mumbai is that of Uddhav Thackeray, he said. On North Indians being given fewer tickets, Tripathi said 21 seats were given to North Indians and there was no discrimination. “We are hopeful that all the candidates will win. All tickets were given keeping every criterion in mind,” he said.
The election, he said, is being fought on the issue of security and development. To ensure the city’s development continues, they will vote for the BJP only. On the issue of security, he said, “After 2014, Mumbai became a very safe city. Earlier, there were bomb blasts at regular frequency, earning the city the moniker ‘Bomb Blast City’. Women, including those from the Muslim community, will vote for the Mahayuti on the issue of security and not just the Ladki Bahin Yojana, as they are the worst sufferers when a family member is lost in such incidents.“On the issue of encroachments, Tripathi said the party raising awareness about infiltrators and illegal encroachments helped contain the spread of such settlements, particularly in Malwani in Malad West. He said the party is committed to a slum-free Mumbai, and this would not only reduce crime but drug addiction too.The BJP “Sankalp Patra” (manifesto) will be released in the next few days, said Tripathi, and it would focus on upgrading civic hospitals and schools, besides welfare measures for women. Tripathi said he was all for the removal of encroachments on footpaths and widening them to ensure hassle-free pedestrian movement.Those who committed corruption in the BMC in the last 25 years will not go scot-free, he said. “Certain investigations are underway; the culprits will be punished,” he said.
Babar Azam marriage: Journalist Shahid Hashmi has made huge comments on former Pakistan skipper Babar Azam amid his poor performances for the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League (BBL). Hashmi stated that Babar may be dealing with off-field pressure and disagreements over marriage, which could be affecting him mentally.
Babar is currently featuring for the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League. He has scored 131 runs in six matches at an average of 26.20 and a dismal strike rate of 111.96, including two half-centuries. One of those fifties came off 41 balls, the joint slowest half-century of the 15th season of the T20 tournament.
In a recent interview on the PakPassion YouTube channel, Shahid Hashmi said that Babar Azam may be under mental stress due to family disagreements over marriage. He stated that Babar’s family wants him to marry within the family, while the batter prefers a different choice.
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“He has some problems. I think maybe mental problems, maybe some family problems, because we have been hearing a lot of stories that his marriage is very much on the cards,” Hashmi said. “His family, his father and mother, want him to marry his cousin. He wants to marry someone else.”
“If these rumors are to be believed, if these reports are to be believed, maybe this problem is causing some mental issues. That’s why he’s not getting out to good balls or good bowlers, but getting out playing loose shots himself,” he added.
Shahid Hashmi stated that Babar’s recent struggles are more mental than technical. Hashmi feels the right guidance could help Babar regain confidence and form. He expressed optimism that Sydney Sixers coach Greg Shippard can play a key role.
“We’ve seen this in international series, in the 2023 World Cup, and now in the Big Bash as well. He was trapped very smartly by Tom Curran in the latest match and got out for two or three runs. He’s not scoring runs.”
“He needs a good coach. Mike Hesson, when the Asia Cup squad was announced, said that Babar Azam will have an opportunity to come good, to score some runs, to gain some confidence in the Big Bash,” Hashmi noted.
Hashmi stated that external pressure may have altered the plan. He stated that outside noise possibly pushed Mike Hesson to include Babar in the tri-series against South Africa. While Babar played a few decent innings, Hashmi felt his overall batting form during the series was still below expectations.
“But maybe from the outside noise, maybe some pressure from outside forced Hesson to include him in the series against South Africa in the tri-series. He scored a few runs. He played a few good innings, but overall his form, his batting was not satisfactory.”
Also read: James Anderson snubs Sachin Tendulkar, names Babar Azam and Virat Kohli as his all-time favorites
