It is a matter of pride that the 1,32,000-seater Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Motera has become the world’s largest cricket stadium, said President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium and the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave in Ahmedabad, President Kovind also noted that the stadium also provides world-class facilities for various sporting activities. “It is a matter of pride for us that the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium has become the world’s largest cricket stadium with a capacity of 1.32 lakh spectators. The stadium is not only the largest in the world but also provides world-class facilities for various sporting activities,” he said.

The President also congratulated officials of the Gujarat Cricket Association, who were instrumental in giving the present shape to the new stadium.

“With a gold rating of green-building certification, this is also a good example of eco-friendly development. The stadium showcases the aspirations and capabilities of the New India that has made a strong mark on the world stage,” he said.

He further said that the dominance that India has achieved in cricket reinforces the belief the country has the potential to achieve a higher position in the world in several other fields as well.

“India is called the ‘Power House of Cricket’ or ‘Hub of Cricket’, so it is quite appropriate that the world’s largest cricket stadium is also now in our country,” he said.

Highlighting that many young cricketers in India, coming from villages across the country are working hard and gradually emerging as significant sporting talents, he said: “Our youth have the capability to perform well in other sports on international levels. For this to materialise, we have to provide the world-class infrastructure the same way we have done for cricket. With this objective, it is significant that the Government of Gujarat has taken the initiative to build an international level sports enclave within the premises of the Narendra Modi Stadium.”

The sports enclave would work as a “multi-sports venue” and also provide facilities for hosting national and international events.

He further praised the Prime Minister for encouraging sportspersons in Gujarat during his tenure as Chief Minister.

“A new culture of sports is being developed by the Central Government throughout the country. Campaigns like ‘Khelo-India’ and ‘Fit-India’ are creating a trend towards encouraging good health and sports among the people,” he added.

The newly-built Motera Stadium was renamed the Narendra Modi Stadium ahead of the pink-ball Test between India and England. Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju were also in attendance on the occasion.

On February 24, 2019, the then President of United States, Donald Trump had visited Motera Stadium for the ‘Namaste Trump’ event, and exactly one year later, the newly-built stadium will now be hosting its first international cricket match.

AICC national spokesman Dasoju Sravan has flayed K.T. Rama Rao, Minister for Industries, IT and Municipal Administration, for his misleading statements regarding recruitment in about 1.32 lakh jobs in Telangana. Differing on the minister’s claims, the senior Congress leader invited KTR for an open debate for discussing the original jobs provided by the government, existing vacancies available in the government and also in the private sector.

Dr Sravan fixed the venue, time and date for the same. While criticizing the attitude of KTR, who has been deliberately ignoring the aspirations of millions of Telangana agitators and insulting the sacrifices of over 1,500 martyrs, Dr Sravan asked KTR to accept his challenge to debate on the sensitive and most important issues of Telangana. “We are not idiots to believe in your shameless, useless and false statements. You must come along with your team on Friday (26th) at 12 noon to Telangana Martyrs Memorial at Gunpark with facts of recruitment numbers, current vacancies available,” he dared KTR. Dr Sravan addressed the media at Gandhi Bhavan today.

According to the AICC leader, there are about 40 lakh unemployed youth in Telangana and more than 3 lakh jobs currently vacant in the government itself. He said that the government did nothing in the last seven years to any segment, especially to the unemployed youth, graduates and even the government employees who are eagerly waiting to get a new PRC when their counterparts received 27% PRC in Andhra Pradesh.

Warning that graduates will teach a lesson to the TRS party in the MLC elections as KCR, KTR are only filling up their family jobs and ignoring lakhs of unemployed graduates in the state. “When your sister Kavitha cannot survive without a job, how do you think these many youngsters can live without a proper job or self-employment? After all, it is the fundamental responsibility of any government to provide jobs to its citizens,” Dr Sravan said.

A bizarre incident took place at Narasaraopet of Andhra Pradesh. Anusha, a degree student at the local Krishnaveni Private College, was brutally murdered. It has been reported that fellow student Vishnuvardhan Reddy allegedly killed Anusha and dumped her body in a canal.

After the murder, the accused Vishnuvardhan Reddy surrendered at the Narasaraopet Rural Police station. The police have registered a case and are investigating.

The murder led to tension in the town with students and family members staging a protest, demanding stringent action against the accused. As the news spread, students and family members gathered in large numbers and staged a protest with the body of the girl, demanding stringent action against the accused. They demanded that the accused be handed over to them. Some students also damaged the window panes of the college.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot was seen taking a potshot not only at the opposition but also at his opponents (dissenters) in his own party Congress on Wednesday. The style of making repartees had poetic overtones. While presenting the Budget in the Assembly, Chief Minister Gehlot was eloquent and displayed a sharp oratory in the form of shayari laced with satirical potshots with verses in Hindi and Sanskrit.

He tried to woo all sections of society. But at the same time, in the Budget speech Chief Minister Gehlot did make it a point to send out a message to the opposition and his detractors that he is not ready to give up. He was seen sipping water seven times during the speech in what is understood to be a symbolic way to target former CM Vasundhara Raje over the issue of drinking water in the desert state. In a message to the BJP-led opposition, the Chief Minister announced that he will make drinking water available to every single household. However, the Central government is claiming to have provided water to the majority of households. It seems that the BJP will showcase this as a big achievement during the next general elections.

Interestingly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the responsibility of water to Rajasthan MP Gajendra Singh Shekhawat who is the Union minister of Jal Shakti. Shekhawat hails from Gehlot’s Jodhpur area. He was quite talked about when the Gehlot government was facing trouble. Shekhawat is also said to be one of the central figures in the politics of BJP in Rajasthan. He is also known to be close to the high command but the much-awaited cabinet expansion will help observers to understand his closeness with the high command.

Chief Minister Gehlot has allocated a budgetary provision of Rs 478 crore for pure drinking water. His government’s budget has focused on agriculture, health, and education. The Chief Minister has also tried to woo the youth. In what is said to be the longest budget speech ever, Chief Minister Gehlot has indicated that he is ready to take on the opponents more aggressively. “Mere hausalon mein abhi bahut jaan baaki hai, ye to daud bhar thi abhi udaan baaki hai, meri saadgi se mere baare mein andaza mat lagana, yeh to shuruaat bhar thi anzam abhi baaki hai,” he said. Political observers interpret it as a message that “his simplicity should not be misconstrued as him being a naïve person rather he is ready to take everything head-on.”

In the past two years, Chief Minister Gehlot had to deal with the “problems created by both the opposition and his own party leaders”. Over a dozen MLAs led by former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot had added to his problems. The BJP and some Central Ministers’ role was doubted. Chief Minister Gehlot somehow managed to save his government. 

The Chief Minister announced many schemes and budgetary allocations to woo common people, keeping in view the measures to deal with the situation resulting from Covid-19. He kept in mind the upcoming byelections in four assembly seats. Chief Minister Gehlot gave out a message to the opposition leaders that they can’t destabilise his government which will complete its term and retain power in the next elections again. “Nigahon mein manzil thi, gire aur girkar sambhalte rahe. Hawaon ne bahut koshish ki, magar chirag andhiyon me bhi jalte rahe.” This is how Gehlot drove home the message.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) president Naresh Tikait on Wednesday, while accusing the Centre of adopting a “stubborn” stance over the three farm laws, said that the ongoing impasse between the protesting farmers and the government can be resolved if Defence Minister Rajnath Singh acts as an intermediary.

“The government has made defence minister Rajnath Singh into a caged parrot (‘pinjre ka tota’). If he is given the freedom to talk to farmers, I can guarantee that there would be a decision and the BJP’s prestige will also remain intact,” the BKU chief said.

Tikait made the comments while addressing a farmers’ mahapanchayat in Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki.

“The government is stubborn and is not ready to hear us out. It should change its attitude,” the BKU leader said.

“If the PM is not ready to repeal the laws, we are also not going to backtrack. The country’s farmers have been ruined and we are not getting the right price for our produce. The rise in prices of petrol and diesel has also affected us,” he added.

The BKU leader further alleged that the Central government was “defaming farmers” by labelling them as “terrorists and Khalistanis”.

He also accused the BJP of dividing society on communal lines. “Earlier Hindus and Muslims lived in amity. But from 2013, BJP has been spreading misconceptions among them and it has divided the society. But now people have understood their tricks,” the BKU leader said.

With agency inputs

Asserting that nobody wants an unsettled border, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General M.M. Naravane on Wednesday said that the relationship with China would develop along the path as per India’s wishes.

“Whatever we did as a government, as a nation has shown that the resolve that we have in maintaining our interest foremost. I think with this Whole-of-Government approach, our relations with China would develop along the path that we wish to develop,” Naravane said during a virtual conference on the ‘role of the Indian Army in dealing with contemporary national security challenges’.

“As two neighbours who would like to have peace and tranquillity on their borders and who would like all the other engagements which have been going on in the past should continue also in the future. Nobody wants an unsettled border,” he added.

Commenting upon the India-China disengagement, the Army Chief said, “What we have achieved so far is very good and it is a very good end result—win-win situation.”

“The agreement signed with any country is premised on the fact that it will be observed in letter and spirit. We will trust, but we verify. We have put systems in place to make sure that there is no re-occupation of these heights and it is part of the agreement. If it is violated then you have violated the spirit. We can only hope that China and People’s Liberation Army (PLA) adhere to these principles and agreements in toto, and that has been our stand from the beginning. If those agreements adhere to letter and spirit, then most of the issues which are pending between the countries would get resolved automatically,” he added.

The disengagement process from both the north and south banks of Pangong Lake was completed by the two nations and further disengagement is underway at other friction points.

Both the armies of India and China have agreed for disengagement in few areas and military troops have also been removed to maintain a status of pre-face-off that happened last year.

India and China have had a stand-off along the LAC since April-May last year due to actions of the Chinese Army and have held several rounds of military and diplomatic talks.

WITH ANI INPUTS