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Modi mirage works wonders

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Opinion Verdict 2017

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Janta sold on the promise of a better life as packaged and promoted by PM

By Sujit Bhar

Was the media disoriented while reporting about the BJP wave in UP, or while reporting about the Congress appeal in Punjab? Were all other political parties in denial of the truth staring right in the face? There has to be a possible truth hiding somewhere within the folds of the infinite permutations and combinations that have been worked around and talked about. There has to be a simpler understanding of this immense complexity. Or is there?

Hindsight is always 20/20, or so it is said. Even accepting this, one cannot make much sense of the BJP sweep in UP and the Congress dominance in Punjab. One cannot also make much sense in the three other states involved: Manipur, Goa and Uttarakhand. A simple BJP victory could have been explained by the split down the middle of the Samajwadi Party’s Yadav family, or of Mayawati’s corrupt practices. An indication was available when Mayawati asked, almost unbelievingly, “How can Muslims vote for the BJP?”

Let us look at it in a very different light. What does the man (or woman) on the street want? What does he or she want to see his or her life tomorrow as? Just the other day, he or she would have talked about regular electricity, jobs, a safe family environment and roti sabzi on the charpoy.

Now consider what they have had access to, in the meantime. Movies that show the glitz and glamour from around the world, the internet that promises a world that could be accessed with a little more effort and some education and with a smartphone that many can buy; the malls that promise a life that is a pretty much hathke from the day to day drudgeries of low to lower middle class lives. They have a high-powered mirage in front of them. They are determined to chase it.

Just the other day these existed only in Bollywood movies, things that were supposed to be taken with a pinch of salt, and they were. Today these are more life-like, actually real, things many never knew existed till they saw them and now cannot live without. Now there is this need to make life better, to be able to see far ahead of what has been shown to them by local leaders.

Remember that expensive coat that Prime Minster Narendra Modi wore during his meeting with US President Barack Obama, one that reportedly cost nearly a crore or more and had ‘Narendra Modi’ embroidered in the seams? It was an attire derided in the media, criticized within erudite circles and Modi quickly got out of it, even auctioned it, with the money “going for the poor.”

Well, ask the man in the chai shop (no analogy intended), or your favourite autowallah from UP. I did. Guess what I got? “A rajah is expected to wear a dress that suits a rajah. And if he is meeting the head of another country, should he not be wearing a dress suitable for the rajah of a great country like India?” Infallible logic, you would say. Because his aspiration level is now tagged to the country’s apparent aspiration level.

Is it practical? No. It is often disastrous in the long run. But that is not what hope is all about. Hope is about dreaming and realising the best in us, or even the best that has been around us. If in trying, we fail, at least we have tried.

Modi has delivered this dream, this impossible dream. And there are people dead sure of believing this. When demonetisation was brought in – an ill-conceived theory, conceived with tunnel-visioned “economic experts” – one expected the ill-effects to seep through the system and harm those at the bottom. It did. Badly. Yet, when I conducted interviews of those chaiwallahs, their eyes glittered. “It is bad for now, but it will yield great results in the future. Modi has made a great system.” Wow, I thought; so what was this system? “That I don’t know, but I hear it is a great system.”

That puts us right back to the basics and the results. The Modi Mirage has worked, it will, for some time now. Then when it fades, it will be called anti-incumbency. All the experts will start the predictions all over again.

Nobody realises the power of hope, in these desperate times. Even when hope leads to a mirage. We surely get the government we deserve.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Cricket news

IPL 2024: CSK’s Pathirana returns to Sri Lanka due to hamstring injury

The right-arm pacer played six matches in IPL 2024 picking up 13 wickets at an economy of 7.68 for CSK

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Fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana of the Chennai Super Kings suffered a serious setback on Sunday before of their IPL 2024 encounter against Punjab Kings. Pathirana, who suffered hamstring injury, will have to head back home to to Sri Lanka for a proper treatment and recovery.

The right-arm bowler, who took 13 wickets at an economy of 7.68 in six IPL 2024 matches, has been a star performer for CSK during an otherwise uneven season. Whether he will return later in the season is yet unknown to the team.

This incident coincides with worries about Deepak Chahar’s health. Earlier this week, he bowled just two deliveries in the match against Punjab Kings at the Chepauk before he strained his hamstring. The CEO of the Chennai Super Kings, Kasi Viswanathan, believes it is extremely improbable that Chahar will play for the rest of the season. The status of Deepak’s injury is not favorable. He had said on Friday that he won’t say Chahar  is ruled out of the season, but it is doubtful.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s star cricketer Mustafizur Rahman left the Chennai Super Kings camp to play for his country in the upcoming series against Zimbabwe. With 14 wickets in just nine matches, the left-arm bowler was the leading wicket-taker for CSK this season.

Chennai has five wins and an equal number of losses in 10 matches in the on-going season, and they are now ranked fifth in the points table. In to compete again against Punjab Kings at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala, the five-time champions hope to strengthen their case for playoff qualifying. In the match at Chepauk, PBKS had beaten the team Ruturaj Gaikwad-led team by seven games.

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India News

Wrestler Bajrang Punia suspended by National Anti Doping Body after failing to give urine sample

Bajrang Punia, who won the country a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, is likely to be barred from participation in the selection trials that are scheduled for later this month. No Indian has yet won an Olympic quota in the 65kg category.

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Wrestler Bajrang Punia was suspended indefinitely by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), which could have an impact on his eligibility to compete in the upcoming Paris Olympics. Sources claim that on March 10, Punia neglected to submit a urine sample for the Sonepat selection trials, which is why NADA issued the order barring him from taking part in any events going forward.

With subject to paragraph 4:1:2 below and in accordance with article 7.4 of the NADR 2021, Bajrang Punia has been immediately provisionally suspended from participation in any competition or activity prior to the final decision reached at a hearing in this matter, according to an official release from NADA dated April 23.

Punia was in the forefront of accusations of sexual harassment made against former BJP MP and president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, along with a number of other elite wrestlers, such as Olympians Sakshi Malik and Vinesh.

The star wrestler, who earned the country’s bronze medal in the Olympics in Tokyo, will probably not be allowed to take part in the selection trials later this month due to his suspension in light of the allegations. In the 65kg division, no Indian has yet to win an Olympic quota.

India’s Sujeet Kalkal will compete in the World Qualifiers, which begin on May 9 in Istanbul.

The notice of suspension was sent not to the federation recognized by United World Wrestling (UWW), but to the now-defunct ad hoc committee of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).

Punia rejected the directive of the drug control officer, alleging that NADA officials had not yet addressed his concerns. A few months before, Punia had uploaded a video purporting to have expired dope-collecting equipment.

The dope-collecting officer’s report states that he was told that his refusal would result in a warning for violating anti-doping regulations, but he still left.

Punia was asked to provide a written explanation by May 7th for his denial of providing a urine sample and supporting evidence.

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Entertainment

Kareena Kapoor appointed UNICEF India national ambassador, says it’s an emotional day for her

Kareena Kapoor expressed her happiness after she was appointed UNICEF India National Ambassador.

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Bollywood actor Kareena Kapoor, has been named the National Ambassador of Unicef India. In 2014, she became the organization’s first Celebrity Advocate. Kareena was driven to tears during her address onstage at her recent appointment ceremony. Adding yet another significant success to Kapoor’s already impressive resume is this new responsibility.

Kareena showed her appreciation and joy at being named the National Ambassador for Unicef India in an Instagram post on May 4. She underlined how committed she is to protecting children’s rights and making sure every child has an equitable future. Kareena thought back on her ten years of working with Unicef India, calling it enlightening and brightening.

Taking to Instagram, Kareena wrote, it is an emotional day for her. Being named the National Ambassador for UNICEF India is an honour for her, she added. The actor mentioned in her note that over the past ten years, working with UNICEF India has been incredibly instructive and enriching. She said she is happy of the work they’ve accomplished and she is reaffirming my commitment to speak out in favor of children’s rights and an equal future for all of them, she added.

The Crew  actor emphasized the value of defending children’s rights upon her appointment, pointing out that they are the next generation. She committed to utilizing her position to speak up for children who are at risk, concentrating on matters such as gender equality, education, and early childhood development. Kareena restated her conviction that every child is entitled to an equal opportunity and a promising future.

Regarding work front, Kareena is now enjoying the success of Crew, in which she starred alongside Tabu and Kriti Sanon.

Under the direction of Rajesh A. Krishnan, Crew centers on the journeys of three employed women against the backdrop of the aviation sector. In addition, Diljit Dosanjh, Kapil Sharma, Rajesh Sharma, Saswata Chatterjee, and Kulbhushan Kharbanda feature in the film.

She will be next seen in Hansal Mehta’s The Buckingham Murders in the upcoming months. She will be also seen in Rohit Shetty’s Singham Again.

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