NEW DELHI: Congress MP and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Sunday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding that the Bharat Ratna be conferred posthumously on Bahujan Samaj Party founder Kanshi Ram.In a post on X, he wrote, “I demand that the Government of India honor the great warrior of social justice and the guiding light of Bahujan consciousness, the esteemed Shri Kanshi Ram Ji, with the Bharat Ratna. This highest national honor will be a tribute to Shri Kanshi Ram Ji and the entire movement that showed millions of Bahujans the path to rights, participation, and self-respect.”In his letter to PM Modi, Gandhi highlighted Kanshi Ram’s transformative role in Indian politics. He also pointed out that calls from Dalit intellectuals and leaders for the Bharat Ratna have been consistent and deeply felt.“Recently, I attended a programme in Lucknow where this demand was reiterated strongly by the leaders and participants present, reflecting a widespread sentiment. Conferring the Bharat Ratna on him posthumously would recognise his immense contribution to our nation. It would honour the aspirations of millions of people who continue to view him as a symbol of empowerment and hope.”

Earlier Congress leader paid tribute to Kanshi Ram on his birth anniversary. In a post on X, he wrote: “On the birth anniversary of the Bahujan hero, the respected Manyavar Kanshi Ram Ji, I pay my humble respects. His tireless struggle and dedication for the rights of the poor, Dalits, and the deprived is an inspiration for all of us.”Kanshi Ram founded BSP in 1984 with the aim of uniting Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes and religious minorities into a formidable political force. He dedicated his life to the upliftment and empowerment of the marginalised and to carrying forward the ideas of Dr BR Ambedkar.BSP chief Mayawati paying tributes to the founder in a post on X wrote, “On the occasion of the birth anniversary of the founder and architect of the Bahujan Samaj Party (B.S.P.), the revered Shri Kanshi Ram Ji, I, along with my leadership, offer a hundred salutations and boundless tributes of reverence from his followers across Uttar Pradesh and the entire country.”Yesterday, Mayawati questioned the Congress over its proposal to confer the Bharat Ratna on BSP founder Kanshi Ram if it comes to power at the Centre, pointing out that the party never honoured BR Ambedkar while in power. In a post on X, she wrote: “The Congress never gave due honour to Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar — the messiah of Dalits and the principal architect of the Constitution — nor did they ever confer upon him the title of Bharat Ratna… How can the same party now honour Kanshi Ram,” she said in her post.”

Jairam Ramesh (Image/PTI)

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission will hold a press conference at 4 pm to announce the schedule for the general elections to the legislative assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. The terms of these assemblies are set to end on different dates in May and June.Ahead of the announcement, opposition leaders targeted the poll body and questioned its neutrality while reacting to the upcoming declaration of election dates.Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at the Model Code of Conduct and the poll panel saying that the MCC has come to stand for “Modi’s Code of Campaigning”.In a post on X party’s general secretary in charge of communications wrote, “The Election Commission will announce the schedule for the 2026 assembly elections at 4 PM today. It would have been given the go-ahead by the G2, since G1 would have completed this round of inaugurations, ribbon-cuttings, flag-offs, and launches.“The Election Commission’s Model Code of Conduct (MCC) will soon come into effect. But since 2014 this has come to stand for Modi’s Code of Campaigning – which will be full of defamation, abuses, intimidation, fear-mongering, and spreading the virus of lies,” he added.The Congress frequently uses the term “G2” to take swipes at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah. The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is a set of guidelines agreed upon by political parties to regulate campaigning during elections and ensure that polling, campaigning and counting are conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner.Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Manoj Kumar Jha also urged the poll panel to ensure impartiality.“I just want to say that the Election Commissioner should look at their predecessors and conduct themselves accordingly. An independent and unbiased election is not just something written on paper,” he said.He said that the announcement of election dates appeared predictable based on recent political rallies.“The announcement of election dates is a fairly natural process; we had already got an indication from the way the Prime Minister’s rallies were being held. The Election Commission does not appear to be playing an impartial role. We keep urging them to show impartiality. I feel that in the future, children may read in books: ‘Once upon a time there used to be an Election Commission which conducted free and fair elections, once upon a time, not now.’”Reacting to the upcoming polls in West Bengal, Firhad Hakim, the mayor of Kolkata and a leader of the Trinamool Congress, said elections come and go but his party remains connected to people throughout the year.“Elections come and go. We stay with the people all year round. If someone new shows up for the election, will people trust them? In their pain and suffering, Trinamool Congress was with them,” Hakim said.Reacting to the announcement, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said that the party had been waiting for the announcement for a long time.“We welcome it. We’ve been waiting for this for a very long time. Actually, it should have been announced much earlier… I would say to the Election Commission that there are already so many doubts about you, but at least don’t do things so blatantly. The Prime Minister keeps making announcements left and right, and then suddenly it occurs to you to announce the dates,” he said. Final electoral rolls of the four states and the Union territory of Puducherry have already been published as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voters’ list.

Chris Gayle with Virat Kohli during his visit to the RCB dressing room in Bengaluru (Photo: Video grab)

As the Indian Premier League gears up for another blockbuster season, Royal Challengers Bengaluru remain one of the most talked-about teams in the competition. After finally lifting their maiden IPL title last season, RCB will head into IPL 2026 as defending champions with a strong squad and renewed confidence.Ahead of the new season, RCB’s batting coach and former wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik revealed his all-time Royal Challengers Bengaluru playing XI, featuring several legendary players who have represented the franchise over the years.

Dinesh Karthik’s all-time RCB Playing XI

Chris Gayle, Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (Captain), AB de Villiers, Jitesh Sharma (Wicketkeeper), Krunal Pandya, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal, Josh Hazlewood

Why Virat Kohli not being captain is a surprise

Virat Kohli’s exclusion as captain is bit surprise for the fans because of his long and historic association with RCB.

Under Kohli’s leadership, RCB reached the IPL 2016 final, which remains one of their best campaigns. That season also saw Kohli produce arguably the greatest individual IPL season ever, scoring 973 runs, still the record for most runs in a single IPL edition.

One of the first names in Karthik’s XI was Chris Gayle, whose impact at RCB between 2011 and 2017 transformed the franchise’s batting identity.Chris Gayle was one of the most dominant players in the history of Royal Challengers Bengaluru. During his stint with the franchise, Gayle played 85 matches and scored 3163 runs at an average of over 41, smashing five centuries and 19 half-centuries. His most iconic knock came in 2013 when he blasted an unbeaten 175 against Pune Warriors, which still stands as the highest individual score in IPL history. Alongside Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, Gayle formed one of the most feared batting trios in the league, often referred to as RCB’s golden-era lineup, capable of dismantling any bowling attack on their day.

Why Shane Watson did not make the XI

The omission of Shane Watson also surprised some fans, considering his reputation as a world-class all-rounder. However, Watson’s RCB stint came late in his IPL career and his numbers for the franchise were relatively modest. Watson had far more success with Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings, which likely influenced Karthik’s decision to leave him out.

Rajat Patidar named captain

One of the most notable choices in Karthik’s XI was naming Rajat Patidar as captain instead of long-time skipper Virat Kohli. Karthik explained that Patidar’s leadership and recent performances played a major role in his decision.“He’s the most successful captain, let’s start there. As a batter, the impact he has given in the short time he has played for RCB has been phenomenal. He is such a key player for RCB. In fact, I’ll go a step ahead and say that he would be my captain,” Karthik said on Cricbuzz.While acknowledging Kohli’s long and successful stint as RCB captain, Karthik said Patidar’s title-winning leadership gave him the edge.

Karthik praises Krunal Pandya’s impact

Karthik also highlighted the contribution of Krunal Pandya, especially for his performance during the championship-winning season.“If RCB has the trophy today, it is largely due to how well he bowled in that final and the Man of the Match performance he had against CSK. He played such a pivotal role last year,” Karthik said.

RCB’s Bowling setup

Harshal Patel and Yuzvendra Chahal earned their spots in the bowling attack primarily due to their outstanding records with Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Chahal remains one of the most successful spinners in the franchise’s history, while Harshal’s wicket-taking ability made him a standout performer during his time with the team. Josh Hazlewood was included at No. 11 following his impressive performances in the IPL 2025 season, where he played a key role with the ball. Meanwhile, Dinesh Karthik opted for Mohammed Siraj as Hazlewood’s new-ball partner ahead of former RCB bowlers Vinay Kumar and Sreenath Aravind, explaining that Siraj’s selection was based largely on the sheer volume of wickets he has taken for the franchise over the years.After ending their long wait for the IPL trophy last season, Royal Challengers Bengaluru will now aim to defend their title in the upcoming season.

MUMBAI: Hailing the India men’s team for winning the 2026 T20 World Cup and the Women’s team too for clinching their maiden Women’s ODI World Cup title last year, former India captain Rohit Sharma has expressed hope that “there is looking back from here,” and both the sides “carry this momentum forward.” “I am very happy and very proud to see what we have been seeing for the last couple of years now. To come out with flying colours and achieve what we have achieved, not just the men’s team but also the women’s team winning that World Cup in (Navi) Mumbai was fantastic to watch. Recently, the men’s team, what they did was phenomenal. I hope this is just the start, there is no looking back from here because once you get that momentum… we often talk about momentum and now both the men’s and women’s teams have that momentum. All I hope is that we carry this momentum forward,” Rohit said at the launch of the new season of T20 Mumbai League and the announcement of the three-team T20 Mumbai Women’s League on Saturday.

Led by Rohit Sharma and then Suryakumar Yadav, the Indian men’s teams clinched back-to-back T20 World Cup titles in 2024 and then on March 8, 2026 in Ahmedabad, crushing New Zealand by 96 runs in the final. Meanwhile, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian women’s team beat South Africa by 52 runs at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai to clinch the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup on No 3 last year. The modern-day great credited the “people behind the scenes” as well for the success of the Indian men’s and women’s teams. “There is no secret to success, it’s all about hard work. The men’s and women’s team have worked really hard to achieve what they have achieved today. Of course, it’s not just about the players who perform on the field, there are so many people behind the scene who have put in so much hard work into that success so that the team can have success. A lot of people and personnel to give thanks to,” said the 38-year-old. Rohit’s advice to players in the T20 Mumbai league was simple: ‘Grab your opportunity.’ “You never know what’s going to happen so whenever the opportunity arises you should be ready for the challenges. I still believe in the process to prepare really well and be ready for the opportunity,” said the ‘Hitman’.Asked on whether Mumbai’s cricketers had an edge over their counterparts due to the struggles they went through while growing up as cricketers, Rohit disagreed with the thought. “I don’t believe in this edge. When players are picked in the national team there is a reason why they’ve been picked. We have seen there is so much competition in our country when we talk about cricket. Right from U-14s you got to be lucky; of course, you need the talent to find success but you also got to be lucky to be at the right time at the right place for people to notice you. Sometimes you can be as talented as you can be but if people are not watching you, then you can be slightly unlucky. You’ve got to be lucky as well, but there is no substitute to hard work and that is not just with the Mumbaikars but also with the players who are representing the country,” said the opening great. Also present was India women’s team pacer Sayali Satghere, Mumbai Cricket Association president Ajinkya Naik, ex-president Ashish Shelar and the entire MCA apex council. Rohit expressed his happiness “with the way Mumbai cricket is shaping up.” “They are going through this tough grind to find success. But (I am) very happy with the way Mumbai cricket is shaping up, also with what T20 Mumbai has done. A lot of young cricketers we saw who played this T20 Mumbai have gone on to play the IPL team and of course the national team as well so it is a big, big platform. I am sure the guys who are going to play will understand that this format is wonderful and I am happy that we are doing this again after a successful last season,” he said. Rohit gave credit to the MCA for conducting the revived T20 Mumbai League despite the monsoon having just started. “It was a tough task right after the IPL got over, and the monsoon had just started. I got to give credit to each and every member of the MCA to pull that through, making three games in a day happen is not easy and also a big, big round of applause to all the groundsmen as well who put their hands up and got the grounds ready, which is why I said there is no substitute to hard work. With three new teams added, it’s getting bigger,” Rohit said.

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission is expected to announce the schedule for assembly elections in five states and union territories, West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry, today according to news agency ANI.The date coincides with the deadline for filing appeals against the final electoral roll for West Bengal, which was published on February 28 and lists over 6.4 crore electors.The window for filing appeals against final rolls in Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry has already closed. It is indicated that the upcoming elections will likely involve fewer phases than in 2021, when West Bengal went to polls over eight phases, Assam over three, and Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry in a single phase.To conduct elections over a shorter period, the EC is expected to substantially increase the deployment of central forces, particularly in West Bengal. Reports suggest the total strength of central armed police forces (CAPFs) could surpass the 1,500 companies (around 1.4 lakh personnel) deployed for the 2024 Jammu & Kashmir assembly elections. About 500 companies (45,000 personnel) are already on advance deployment in West Bengal.Multi-phase polling is expected in West Bengal and Assam, while Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry may vote in a single phase. With the term of the West Bengal assembly expiring on May 7, voting in the state is likely to stretch from April into early May.The EC will also continue the adjudication of around 60 lakh ‘doubtful’ voter cases in West Bengal, handled by judicial officers appointed by the Calcutta High Court, with further appeals possible before tribunals. Supplementary voter lists incorporating approved cases will be published, as directed by the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court.Meanwhile, the EC has issued notifications for the appointment of returning officers for all 294 West Bengal constituencies, following the state government’s consent to provide officers of requisite seniority. The commission will closely monitor the deployment and randomisation of CAPF and state police personnel through special observers and CAPF nodal officers.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino

The United States-Iran war, in which Iranian forces have attacked US bases in several Gulf States, has posed a looming threat to the conduct of several sporting events, including the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prixes (F1) and the Finalissima, scheduled to be played between Spain and Argentina in Doha, Qatar. However, that is not the only football event under threat. With the 2026 FIFA Football World Cup less than three months away and scheduled to be played in Mexico, Canada and the United States, an event which has not been free from controversies on account of the Mexico Cartel Violence and extremely high ticket prices, and the general volatility in the bi-lateral ties between US and Mexico and US and Canada on account of the tariff threats, the war puts FIFA in a tricky situation, more so on account of the controversial statements made by American President Donald Trump.

While Trump may have “welcomed” Iran to participate in the 2026 Football World Cup, in the same breath, he proceeded to point out the threat to the life and safety of Iranian footballers should they choose to participate. This has cast a shadow on Iran’s participation, which was the first country to qualify from Asia; however, prior to Trump’s abovementioned statement, Iran publicly expressed its intent to withdraw from the World Cup on account of the US having assassinated their leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.The withdrawal, if any, will be an unprecedented move in the modern football era, and is comparable to the Bangladesh cricket team withdrawing from the recently concluded T20 World Cup due to a security threat, which was questioned by the global governing body ICC. However, after some negotiations, no sanctions were imposed on Bangladesh. ALSO READ | Who can come in if Iran withdraw from FIFA World Cup?The World Cup, being a FIFA event, the ultimate duty to provide a safe and secure environment rests with them, who are supported by local security authorities and the police. Should FIFA confirm a secure environment and Iran still chooses to withdraw, FIFA, in accordance with its bye-laws, may impose sanctions such as: (i) imposition of fines to the tune of at least CHF[Swiss Francs] 250,000 if the withdrawal is more than 30 days prior to the scheduled start or of at least CHF 500,000 if the withdrawal is less than 30 days prior (Article 6.2 of the Regulations for the FIFA World Cup, 26); (ii) as per FIFA statutes, member associations must participate in all official competitions for which they qualify, a ban from participating in future events may also be imposed.

File photo of the Iranian football team. (Getty Images)

What is ironic is that at the time of banning the Russian football team in 2022, for invading Ukraine, FIFA itself took a stance that matches involving the Russian teams would give rise to unacceptable safety and security risks, even if they were held at neutral venues, which was upheld by CAS. The position of the stakeholders differs, though. In the first case, Russia (the invaders) is a participant in competitions and subsequently banned. In the current scenario, the USA (the invaders) is a tournament host, putting FIFA in a Catch-22 situation.Further, Article 6.5 of the World Cup regulations allows Member Associations to withdraw on account of force majeure; the interpretation of force majeure will depend on the prevailing circumstances at the time of withdrawal. Since the World Cup is being played across 3 countries, an option for FIFA may be to take refuge under Article 6.9 of the Regulations for the FIFA World Cup, 26 which permits them to relocate one or more matches for any reason, including as a result of force majeure, and schedule all of Iran’s matches outside of the US as a middle ground and develop a contingency plan should Iran make it to the final, which is scheduled to be played in New Jersey. This was also the approach taken by the ICC in the T20 World Cup, should Pakistan have qualified for the semi-finals and final.

A woman displays a poster of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei as she waves her country’s flag during a campaign in support of the government at the Enqelab-e-Eslami, or Islamic Revolution, square in downtown Tehran, Iran, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Such a decision, if taken, may come with its own set of political consequences. Any aggressive decision taken now would also put a question mark on Iran’s participation in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with football being an Olympic sport.Sport, which has for time immemorial been used as a tool to unite people, is increasingly being affected by geopolitical events in today’s volatile global environment. As a result, international federations have not remained insulated and have often found themselves in the middle of controversies. While the charters of all international federations demand neutrality, this principle has, on several occasions, been called into question. Consequently, now more than ever, there is a growing need to establish clear directives in the interest of fairness.(Aahna Mehrotra is the Founder & Principal Lawyer of AM Sports Law & Management Co.)

Indian Navy warships deployed in the Gulf region as part of the continuing Operation Sankalp are keeping a constant vigil on India-bound cargo vessels in the Strait of Hormuz area.“A warship deployed in that region (off the Oman coast) is still monitoring the situation and keeping a close watch on India-bound cargo ships,” a source confirmed to TOI.

Under the watchful eyes of the Indian Navy, two Indian-flagged LPG tankers belonging to Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), Shivalik and Nanda Devi, have successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz and are now bound for India. Another Indian-flagged oil tanker, Jag Prakash, which is carrying gasoline from Oman to Africa, has also set sail from east of the Strait of Hormuz.As per an agency report that quoted govt sources, Shivalik is being escorted by the Indian Navy.

On June 19, 2019, the Indian Navy had commenced maritime security operations, called ‘Operation Sankalp’, in the Gulf region to ensure safe passage of Indian flag vessels transiting through the Strait of Hormuz. This was done in close coordination with all stakeholders, including ministries of defence, external affairs, shipping, petroleum and natural gas, and DG Shipping. The Navy had then deployed a total of 23 warships in rotation to the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf. Some of these warships are still deployed in the Gulf region.The naval deployment is significant amid increased regional tensions across the wider Gulf region, with as many as 23,000 Indian seafarers employed on different types of vessels, including merchant ships, and offshore installations, and 24 vessels near the Strait of Hormuz.Iranian ambassador to India Mohammad Fathali indicated on Friday that India could soon get safe passage (for its vessels) through the Strait of Hormuz.Meanwhile, the Indian Naval Sail Training Ship INS Sudarshini has arrived at the historic port of Valletta, Malta, marking a significant milestone in her landmark transoceanic expedition Lokayan-26, according to a defence ministry statement. The ship arrived in Valletta on Mar 12, underscoring the deep-rooted maritime ties between India and Malta. This visit represents an important leg of the ship’s ambitious 22,000-nautical-mile global voyage. The arrival follows its successful transit through the Suez Canal and a recent port call at Alexandria. INS Sudarshini is currently in the second month of her voyage, which commenced at Kochi on Jan 20.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday (US local time) called on nations to send warships to help keep the Strait of Hormuz open for shipping as Iranian forces continue their retaliation campaign amid US and Israeli attacks on Iran.In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, “The countries of the World that receive Oil through the Hormuz Strait must take care of that passage, and we will help — A LOT!” “The U.S. will also coordinate with those Countries so that everything goes quickly, smoothly, and well,” he added.About a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes through the strait, a narrow passage of water between Iran and Oman. Tehran’s ability to stop shipping through the channel could give it enormous leverage over the U.S. and its allies.In an earlier post on Saturday, Trump said that “Many Countries, especially those who are affected by Iran’s attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending War Ships, in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the Strait open and safe,” adding that he hoped China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain and others would send ships to the area.“In the meantime, the United States will be bombing the hell out of the shoreline, and continually shooting Iranian Boats and Ships out of the water,” he wrote.Trump said on Thursday the US was willing to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz to protect them from Iranian attack, as his administration searches for ways to ease high oil prices fuelled by the US-Israeli war on Iran.Meanwhile, Western nations have increased their military presence in the eastern Mediterranean during the conflict in Iran. The deployments have focused on the security of Cyprus after an Iranian-made drone hit a British military base on the island on March 2.Britain is also exploring additional options for deployments to the Gulf after Iran stepped up attacks on vessels, defence minister John Healey said on Thursday. The British government is talking to allies and partners about “a range of options to ensure the security of shipping in the region,” a Ministry of Defence spokesperson said on Saturday.The French Navy is deploying about a dozen naval vessels, including its aircraft carrier strike group, to the Mediterranean, the Red Sea and potentially the Strait of Hormuz as part of defensive support to allies threatened by the conflict.France has also been consulting with European, Asian and Gulf Arab states over the past week with a view to putting together a plan for warships eventually to escort tankers through the strait, French officials said.