Author: Tirthankar Mitra
Indian cricket team is in uncharted territory as the first Test against England starts today. The new look team is led by Shubhman Gill is both a leap of faith by selectors as well as a big generational jump.
srael and Iran can hardly said to have an amicable relation. But one needs to take a close look into the recent belligerence to pin down its cause.
His first love was reporting. And while on the job in locations as diverse as Paris and Biafra, Frederick Forsythe who passed away recently dug out the nuggets of lives unknown which would later be the material of his best selling fiction.
Known to enthuse the party rank and file to a higher energitic pitch before elections, Union home minister Amit Shah’s words seemed to lack its usual fervour when he toured West Bengal recently. Indeed his public address was a departure from his earlier speeches when he set a target for the poll nominees of BJP.
Bihar seems to have a penchant of being in the news be it owing to JP’s call of total revolution or the Bhagalpur blindings or the fodder scam. The state may.find itself in the news again soon post a new leader whose political party is part of the NDA coalition has thrown his hat in the ring for the chief minister’s post even as the state inches closer to election.
A stern message to mend their ways have been sent to the party activists by state CPI (M) leadership. Reports of intra-party squabbles have alerted the party leadership.
There are some legendary individuals, but very few become legends in their lifetime. The latest to join the ranks of living legends is Kerala chief minister, Pinayari Vijayan if the title of a documentary film made on him “Pinayari the Legend” is anything to go by.
Kerala chief minister, Pinayari Vijayan who leads the LDF ministry has been in politics for decades. And the ideology which he and CPI(M) , the party he belongs to believe in does not encourage personality cult.
Even as it continues its more than a decade long tenure as West Bengal’s ruling dispensation, Trinamool Congress cannot be called a structured political outfit where decisions taken by consensus are made into public policies. But of late, some organisational changes are being carried out like formation of core committee which indicate a small step towards collective decision making though in reality party supremo, Mamata Banerjee the principal vote catcher continues to call the shots.
Iraq was scarred by US hostilities after allegations of processing weapons of mass destruction/ chemical weapons were raised against it. It is another matter such weapons were never found.
But the international community whose part and parcel US is continue to watch from the sidelines as charges of use of chemical weapons have been raised against the Sudanese army. And such weapons having been allegedly used against the Sudanese populace makes it a toxic allegation.
The choice of Shubman Gill to lead Indian cricket team in the forthcoming Test series against England is not a shot in the dark. There is little doubt about his credentials. But he will be under greater scrutiny post this responsibility. It is the right move in the backdrop of the team’s transition.