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#Chaiwalas to #Chowkidars — PM Modi’s journey with election bets

March 24, 2019

Taking a jibe at the PM’s ‘Main Bhi Chowkidar’ campaign for the 2019 poll season, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal targeted the Prime Minister for forgetting about his bonhomie with “chaiwalas” and shifting to remembering “chowkidars”. He also pointed out that the Pradhan Sevak can focus on something else “next time” for political gains.

The former Union minister also accused PM Modi of politicising the Balakot air strikes and asked whether the ‘chowkidar’ (watchman) was sleeping when terror attacks took place in Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Uri, Baramulla, and Pulwama.

In the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, BJP launched a massive election campaign highlighting Modi as a ‘chaiwala’ (tea-seller) to connect with the masses after Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar dubbed him a chaiwala. Since then, Modi has often called himself a chaiwala.

This time, the PM launched the ‘Mai Bhi Chowkidar’ campaign after Congress President Rahul Gandhi relentlessly targeted the PM with the “Chowkidar Chor Hai” (watchman is a thief) jibe, while alleging corruption and favouritism in the Rafale fighter jet deal while the government rejected the charges.

Water is the foundation of life

Vinod Dixit

March 24, 2019

We celebrated March 22 as World Water Day. India has the world’s highest number of people without access to clean water, imposing a major financial burden for some of the country’s poorest people. Water is an essential building block of life. But it is more than just essential to quench thirst or protect health; water is vital for creating jobs and supporting economic, social, and human development. Water is the base on which our life is built. Day by day, it is becoming clear that water is going to be the biggest casualty of the modern development process. It is ironic that nature’s gift to humans is available only for money these days. We are forced to buy clean drinking water after having polluted every known source. Rain, rivers, and wells have been man’s traditional sources of fresh water. Global warming upsets natural patterns of rainfall. Rivers are slowly killed at their sources by steady destruction of forests and the construction of big dams, and overdevelopment of groundwater. Unless water is used equitably, and in a non-partisan manner, playing with it may prove to be riskier than playing with fire.

Many people are forced to turn to an alternative in order to access water, due to the price or simply the issue of accessibility, but using dirty water comes with consequences and causes countless illnesses each year. There are about 3,15,000 children who die from diarrhea each year, 1,40,000 of which occur in India.

Poor management of water resources is the biggest problem holding India back. Misappropriation in the planning and execution of water supply projects is another key factor. Water resources are under severe stress today. About one-fifth of the world’s aquifers have almost dried up and a large number of traditional water bodies such as tanks, ponds, and lakes are depleting at a frightening pace.

Today, there are over 663 million people living without a safe water supply close to home, spending countless hours queuing or trekking to distant sources, and coping with the health impacts of using contaminated water.

Today, almost half of the world’s workers — 1.5 billion people — work in water-related sectors and nearly all jobs depend on water and those that ensure its safe delivery. Floating agricultural techniques, fisheries, hydropower generation, boating in lakes and rivers, and water mills in the mountains, to name a few, are the sources of jobs created by water.

What would the world do without fresh water? We need it to hydrate our bodies, it’s in the food we eat and the beverages we drink. We use it to clean ourselves, our clothes, our dishes, our cars and everything else around us.

Water is the foundation for all aspects of human and societal progress. While we need to ensure access to safe water for 1.8 billion people who do not have it today, we must also manage the global rise in demand for water from growing economies by increasing water productivity and find incentives for using it more effectively.

According to the experts, climate change has exacerbated the situation by creating uncertainty about future water availability and water security. The groundwater situation is not rosy at all, but in the long run, the slowly progressing Rain Water Harvesting scheme may improve the situation, believe experts.

We must remember that World Water Day is celebrated just to bring your focus to the issue, which is reaching crisis proportions. Water conservation initiatives should not remain a mere slogan. We need to keep that water flowing in our taps and into our homes and what better way than to be a mover and shaker or rather a saver, in your own little way? A growing population and a consumptive lifestyle add to the depression. Development cannot be reversed. However, the technology could be reoriented to serve the dual purpose of conserving water and regulating its use. We have to pay attention to the importance of fresh water and be able to maintain the management of freshwater resources. Don’t we think to leave aside global solutions; something should be done at the national and regional levels.

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)

Letters to the Editor: March 24, 2019

Web Team

March 24, 2019

Get aware of ground realities

Many popular candidates in the fray for the upcoming General Elections 2019 have opted to contest from more than one seat. The candidate’s cautious move to legally contest from two seats as approved by the party may owe to serve either of both the constituencies if elected successfully. The dubious move perhaps may be seen as a ‘safe bet’ to at least retain one seat while conceding the other seat, if lost.

However, it should be noted that the voters, on the other hand, will remain bewildered yet to choose an ideal or ‘Adarsh’ candidate contesting from both the seats. A party should field its candidates with a primary focus on winning the voters hearts and thus strive for development under a single constituency. It is also known from the historical records that many popular candidates contesting from two seats choose to maintain sanctity in both the constituencies but retain only one seat post announcement of results.

However, if one of the seats is lost or conceded post results, the voters’ belief entrusted to a candidate will only be a loss. The promise of fulfilling the respective constituency’s basic needs of development will remain elusive and appear to be a mirage, only until the next elections. No doubt the move by candidates may be justified (to contest) in a right direction on winning as many voters statistically.

It is high time now that the yet to be elected representatives understand the harsh ground realities of their own voters, strive towards making the respective constituency progress on a better model and thus make a unanimous resolution to represent only from a single constituency. The Election Commission of India (ECI) too needs to formulate a smart strategy in the future to ensure only a single representation is made by a candidate for any constituency if an opportunity arises.

Varun SD

Remembering martyr-trio Rajguru, Sukhdev, and Bhagat Singh

There are several birthdays of prominent personalities like April 14, October 2, and November 14 which are known to each student right from school-age. However, earlier governments never tried to put in hearts of school-going children important martyrdom day of March 23 when three great martyrs of independence of the country namely Rajguru, Sukhdev, and Bhagat Singh were hanged to death by cruel British rulers way back in the year 1931 for their heroic deed of fighting Britishers. The base of freedom of country was laid down by these three martyrs followed by the same line adopted by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose which in fact made British rulers free India even though it was publicised that India got independence by virtue of non-violence movement.

The government of India should make birthdays or martyrdom days of real freedom-fighters by honouring them by portraying their photos on currency-notes coins of ordinary circulation. Even currency-notes can feature a short profile of freedom-fighter along with photos for different martyrs on the different denomination of notes.

Madhu Agrawal

A person shouldn’t contest from more than one constituency

The numbers of sitting members of Rajya Sabha and state legislatures are going to contest elections for Lok Sabha. Also, there is no bar on a person to contest from more than one constituency or for both Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha. Such misused provisions cost heavily to the nation in conducting by-polls in case a sitting member of Rajya Sabha and state-legislature wins Lok Sabha elections, or a candidate wins from more than one Lok Sabha constituency.

Since successive governments have deferred much-needed poll-reforms for decades now, at least very simple poll-reforms can be made by the Election Commission of India that a sitting legislature may first have to resign from earlier seat before filing nomination for Lok Sabha elections. Also, a person may not be allowed to contest from more than one constituency.

Subhash Chandra Agrawal

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)

Mulayam Singh Yadav’s name excluded from SP campaigners list for Lok Sabha polls

Web Team

March 24, 2019

Samajwadi Party on Sunday released list of campaigners for Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh. Senior SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav released the list.

The list included names of party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Azam Khan, Dimple Yadav, Jaya Bachchan and Ram Gopal Yadav. Samajwadi patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav’s name was missing from the list.

Party chief Akhilesh Yadav will contest polls from Azamgarh the parliamentary constituency of his father Mulayam Singh Yadav. SP Senior leader will contest polls from Rampur constituency.

Congress Working Committee to meet tommorrow

Web Team

March 24, 2019

The Congress Working Committee is scheduled to meet on Monday for discussing poll preparedness for Lok Sabha election.

According to party sources Congress president Rahul Gandhi has convened meeting of the party’s highest decision making body which had its last meeting at Ahmedabad in Gujarat on March 12.

The meeting was also attended by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress general secretary for eastern Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was also present in the meeting.

2 Hindu girls kidnapped in Pakistan and forcefully converted to Islam

Afternoon Voice

March 24, 2019

Since the Pulwama terrorists attack and Indian Air Force strike in Balakot the relationships between India and Pakistan went sour and the world had to come together to make both these countries came together at a platform and solve the issue that has created a communal line between the nations. However, it is reported that two Hindu teenaged girls kidnapped in Pakistan and forcefully converted to Islam.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has sought details from the Indian envoy in Pakistan into the reported abduction of two Hindu teenaged girls and their forcible conversion to Islam on the eve of Holi in Sindh province.

In a tweet, Swaraj, while tagging a media report about the incident, said that she has asked the Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan to send a report on the matter.

I have asked Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan to send a report on this. @IndiainPakistan
Two Hindu girls abducted on Holi eve in Pakistan’s Sindh https://t.co/r4bTBSoy9d via @TOIWorld

— Chowkidar Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 24, 2019

According to the media report, the incident took place in Dharki town of Ghotki district in Sindh province on the eve of Holi.

It said the Hindu community in the area staged protests, demanding action against perpetrators of the alleged crime.

India has been raising the issue of the plight of minorities, particularly the Hindu community in Pakistan.

TB deaths reduced to 84% amount people living with HIV, reveals UNAIDS

Afternoon Voice

March 24, 2019

India achieved an 84 per cent reduction in tuberculosis deaths among people living with HIV by 2017, the highest recorded decline among over 20 nations and three years ahead of the 2020 deadline, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) said.

Ahead of World Tuberculosis Day commemorated on Sunday, UNAIDS is urging countries to step up action to meet the 2020 target of reducing TB deaths among people living with HIV by 75 per cent, as outlined in the 2016 United Nations Political Declaration on Ending AIDS.

World Health Organisation estimates show that, globally, TB deaths among people living with HIV have fallen by 42 per cent since 2010, from 520,000 down to 300,000 in 2017.

The estimates show that, by 2017, five low or middle-income countries achieved or exceeded the target of a 75 per cent reduction in TB deaths among people living with HIV, three years ahead of schedule. India achieved the highest reduction at 84 per cent, followed by Eritrea (83 per cent, Djibouti (78 per cent) and Malawi (78 per cent).

An additional 18 countries reduced TB deaths among people living with HIV by more than 50 per cent and are on track to achieve the target by the end of 2020, provided that scale-up of services is maintained. However, the estimates also show that most countries are not on track and that deaths are rising in some regions and countries, UNAIDS said.

“TB should be a disease of the past. It has been treatable and preventable for decades. Years of neglecting the rights of the world’s poor to basic health care, food and shelter have let TB take hold and allowed resistance to build, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidib said.

“People living with HIV are especially at risk. There is still a chance for many countries to meet the target, but we have to act now?it’s time to end TB and AIDS, he said.

Around 40 countries showed a rise in the number of TB deaths among people living with HIV between 2010 and 2017. In eastern Europe and central Asia, the number of TB deaths among people living with HIV increased by 22 per cent between 2010 and 2017, with increases being seen in all but three countries in the region.

UNAIDS said that the lack of progress in some countries is a clear indication that further efforts are needed to address the main challenges, including the need for equity and ensuring that vulnerable groups have access to integrated HIV and TB services.

In order to accelerate progress in reducing TB deaths among people living with HIV and reach the 2020 target, UNAIDS is urging countries to fully integrate TB and HIV services and to use community-based approaches to find, diagnose and treat the missing cases.

It said countries need to screen all people living with HIV for TB and all people with TB need to be tested for HIV. The quality of TB and HIV diagnosis also needs to be improved. In addition, all people diagnosed with TB and HIV need immediate access to treatment and support to adhere to their treatment regimens.

“Although progress is mixed, we can see that the target can be met, and a large number of countries can get there if they act with urgency and use focused community-based approaches, Sidib said.

“I cannot stress enough how critical it is to integrate TB and HIV services so that people can be screened, tested, treated and offered prevention for both diseases, ideally under the same roof, by the same health worker and on the same day. This is an approach that we know saves lives.”

With less than two years to achieve the target, UNAIDS is urging all countries to step up action and partners to work together to ensure that all people affected by HIV and TB have access to effective prevention and treatment services.

TB is the top infectious killer worldwide, claiming around 4,400 lives a day. TB also remains the leading cause of death among people living with HIV, causing one in three AIDS-related deaths. In 2017, 1.6 million people died from TB, including around 3,00,000 people living with HIV.

How Gambhir is Gautam about politics?

Moumita Mukherjee

March 22, 2019

In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections 2019 that will begin on April 11, former Indian Cricketer Gautam Gambhir on Friday joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of Union Ministers Arun Jaitley and Ravi Shankar Prasad in New Delhi. The once Left-handed opening batsman, who in December rejected all the rumours about him joining the politics, is all set to bat for the Right in this poll season. There is speculation that Gambhir is likely to contest the polls from one of the seven seats in the national capital. While the sources suggest the New Delhi constituency which is currently represented by the party’s Meenakshi Lekhi, the final decision is yet to be disclosed.

The 31-year-old cricketer is followed by nearly nine million followers on Twitter and is frequently active with his comments and opinions on the country’s social, political, and security issues over the last few years. After beginning his new innings with Prime Minister Modi-led BJP, Gambhir said, “I am joining this party (BJP) after getting influenced by PM Narendra Modi’s vision. I am honoured to get the opportunity to join this platform.”

Welcoming the former cricketer into the party and stating how BJP has expanded in the last decade, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said, “We were called a cadre-based party and now we are cadre mass party. Gambhir has excelled in his career and the party hopes to utilises his talent. The BJP will benefit from his talent.” The cricket fraternity too welcomed and admired Gambhir’s new journey and voiced the need for an ‘honest and committed people like him’ in Indian politics.

Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi Cabinet Minister Gopal Rai said, “Narendra Modi and Amit Shah have adopted a policy to end democracy and bring polarisation through the emotional level. There are two aspects wherein either people are against this policy and are trying to defeat BJP and there are some others who are trying to make them victorious by following this policy. Cricketers contesting election won’t make any difference. Despite being in power, BJP has to change its candidates and it only shows their weakness.”

Gambhir, the Padma Shri award winner, is the resident of Rajendra Nagar in Delhi. He played a significant role in India’s triumph in the 2011 World Cup and the 2007 T-20 World Cup. Gambhir made his one-day international debut for the Indian national team in April 2003 against Bangladesh and went on to play 147 ODIs for the side. He played the last One-Day International for the Indian cricket team in 2013 and his last Test match was in 2016. He played his last Ranji Trophy match in December 2018 against Andhra, after which he announced his retirement along with his willingness towards coaching.

Gautam Gambhir is indeed not the first cricketer to join the political domain. Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, Chetan Chauhan, Kirti Azad, Mohammad Azharuddin, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Mohammad Kaif, Praveen Kumar, Vinod Kambli, etc. — these cricketers had taken up politics as their post-retirement career with much hoo-ha but hardly any of them made the mark. They failed to reach the peak and were seemingly utilised by the respective political parties for a particular election season. Encashing on popularity and immense fan-following, these cricketer-turned-politicians managed to amass votes and seats in the Parliament but only for a single shot. Now, it’s only time which will tell how much sincerity and contribution the India politics and the BJP will get from Gautam Gambhir.

Cricket Expert Ayaz Memon said, “Cricketers like Kirti Azad and Chetan Chauhan have performed well in politics while Mohammad Azharuddin has contested election thrice. The cricketers have a mass appeal and BJP is trying to cash that in. Gautam Gambhir is young so it is not necessary that he will be allotted any ministerial berth. Cricketers enter politics with an eye on their future career.”

Unlike his successful cricket matches, Nawab Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi’s electoral battle in 1991 couldn’t taste the success. The adverse circumstances that elevated from the Ram Janmbhoomi movement led to his failure. Even after drawing good crowds during the election campaign, Pataudi managed to get only 35.88 per cent votes while BJP’s Sushil Chandra Verma secured 53.61 per cent votes and won the battle smashing Pataudi’s political ambitions. Chetan Chauhan, who formed one of India’s best opening partnerships with Sunil Gavaskar, also joined BJP and was twice elected as the Member of the Parliament from Uttar Pradesh’s Amroha. He lost the elections from the same constituency in 1996, 1999, and 2004.

Former India all-rounder Kirti Azad, who was a part of the 1983 World Cup-winning squad, represented the BJP and won the election from Bihar’s Darbhanga constituency thrice. In February 2019, he joined the Congress party. His father Bhagwat Jha Azad was the former Chief Minister of Bihar.

One of the most popular Indian Cricket Captains Mohammad Azharuddin’s career has seen a number of ups and downs. After playing 334 ODIs and 99 Test matches, his success run halted after he got entangled in the biggest match-fixing scandal of his time. He made a plunge into politics during 2009 general elections with a Congress ticket and became the Member of Parliament from Moradabad constituency in Uttar Pradesh but was unsuccessful in making an impression.

Mohammad Kaif, who played 125 ODIs and 13 Tests between 2000 and 2006, represented Congress from his constituency of Phulpur in Uttar Pradesh but failed to see the face of success. He is currently the Assistant Coach of Delhi Capitals in the IPL.

Vinod Kambli represented the Lok Bharati Party in the 2009 elections and he lost. The left-hander played 17 Tests and 102 ODIs for India. Thereafter, he was neither seen in politics nor in Cricket. Navjot Singh Sidhu joined the BJP after winning the Lok Sabha elections from Amritsar. He had a career spanning over 19 years as a professional cricketer. However, later on, he joined Congress once again and landed in many controversies but his political spare is intact so far. He joined the BJP in 2004 and contested the general election from Amritsar and won the election. In 2016, he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab before he quit the party. He joined Congress in 2017 and contested the general election from Amritsar East and won the election.

Besides the sports personalities who became a part of political parties, Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar too received a lot of criticism during his tenure as an MP of Rajya Sabha. He hardly attended any Parliament session and was highly criticised for his poor attendance. Tendulkar only attended 29 of the approximately 400 Parliament sessions during his six years as a Rajya Sabha MP.

Swaraj India national president Yogendra Yadav spoke to Afternoon Voice asserted, “Anybody from the field of Cricket or Cinema can contest the elections but it is important that they serve the people. The background of a candidate is not important but his deeds are important. If a celebrity joins politics and projects his celebrity status, then it doesn’t augur well for the nation.”

Janata Dal (S) not to contest Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra

Web Team

March 22, 2019

The Janata Dal (S) will not be contesting Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra, a party leadersaid on Friday. JD(S) national general secretary Justice (retd) B G Kolse-Patil said neither he nor any candidate from his party will enter the fray in Maharashtra, which has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second highest after Uttar Pradesh (80).

The former judge of the Bombay High Court criticized the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), a front led by Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar, for failing to enter into a pre-alliance with the Congress-NCP combine in the state.

Kolse-Patil himself was a strong contender to contest from Aurangabad, a seat offered to him by Ambedkar a few weeks ago. The VBA is contesting the polls in Maharashtra.

“Prakash Ambedkar failed to have an alliance with the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in the state. There was no point in going with VBA, it is going to help the BJP-

Sena alliance, which is ruling as well as ruining the country,” Kolse-Patil told agencies. The former judge said he wanted to contest from Aurangabad only if the VBA had formed a pre-poll alliance with the Congress, the only party, he said, which can take on the BJP.

“Everybody knows about my stance against the Modi-Shah duo and my crusade against the RSS. By not having an alliance with the Congress in Maharashtra, we have lost an opportunity to prevent the BJP from coming to power again,” the 77-year-old leader, said.

The Congress and the JD(S) are allies in the government in neighbouring Karnataka.

To a query, Kolse-Patil said there was no question of him campaigning for VBA candidates in the state. The VBA is a political front launched by Ambedkar in

alliance with the Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM).

The front has already said the AIMIM will field its candidates from the Aurangabad Lok Sabha seat.

Wish Gambhir all the success in the real vote game!

Vaidehi Taman

March 22, 2019

Recently one cricketer has become the Prime Minister of Pakistan; this is the peak one has reached after joining the politics. There are many cricket players across the globe who have joined politics but could not make it to the heights. Former cricketer Gautam Gambhir begins political innings with the BJP because he is ‘impressed by PM Modi’s vision’. What kind of vision he has, was never told to the media, however, PM Modi is the most famous politician who has a big support system. Joining BJP is nothing but being in the good books of social media army and to enjoy the favours from the party and its leaders. Although it was not a bad choice that Gambhir made.

With his reach of nearly nine million followers, the 37-year-old cricketer has been frequently commenting on social and security issues leading to speculation that he was planning to join politics. With weeks to go for the Lok Sabha polls, he has to make many efforts; meanwhile, he as a cricketer was accepted by the people but not necessarily can make an equal impact as a politician. Inducting the former cricketer into the party, Arun Jaitley believes that Gambhir has excelled in his career and the party hopes to utilise his talent. Jaitley said that BJP will benefit from Gambhir’s endowment. Well, time will prove who will benefit whom! Gambhir would be contesting from a Lok Sabha seat from Delhi. With his reach of millions of followers, hope he grabs at least half of the count in real vote game.

A resident of Rajendra Nagar in Delhi, Gambhir made his One-Day International debut for the Indian national team in April 2003 against Bangladesh and went on to play 147 ODIs for the side. His performances in the finals of the 2007 T20 World Cup final against Pakistan and the 2011 World Cup final against Sri Lanka helped India win both the titles and Gambhir, in the process, went on to acquire something of a cult status among the Indian fans.

He also earned 58 Test caps and scored nine hundreds and 22 fifties in the longest format of the game. Gambhir’s last appearance in an Indian shirt came in 2016 but he continued plying his trade in domestic cricket. He announced his retirement from all forms of cricket following Delhi’s Ranji Trophy clash against Andhra last December.

If we look into the flashback, Mansoor Ali Pataudi was regarded as one of India’s greatest cricket captains. He was also considered as the ‘best fielder in the world’. Pataudi contested in the general elections from Bhopal under Congress party in 1991 and eventually lost it. In the year 1971, he lost elections while contesting for Vishal Haryana Party led by Rao Birender Singh. His political carrier could not take him to the peaks, like Cricket.

Another cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin joined Congress in 2009. He won the Lok Sabha elections from Moradabad by beating BJP rival Kunwar Sarvesh Kumar Singh by a thumping margin. Azhar played for India from 1984 to 2000 and later on, he ousted from politics and Cricket both.

Sanath Jayasuriya is the only cricketer who was an active politician during his playing days. He became the MP in 2010. The Sri Lankan southpaw made his debut for the country in 1989 and served the country for 22 long years. Arjuna Ranatunga, a Lankan former cricket captain, defected to the camp of former Army chief Sarath Fonseka ahead of the 2010 January presidential election. Fonseka, whose detention came two weeks after being beaten in presidential elections in late January by President Mahinda Rajapakse, is being held by the military pending court-martial proceedings on unspecified charges.

Vinod Kambli represented the Lok Bharati Party in the 2009 elections and he lost. The left-hander played 17 Tests and 102 ODIs for India. Thereafter, he was neither seen in politics nor in Cricket. Navjot Singh Sidhu joined the BJP after winning the Lok Sabha elections from Amritsar. He had a career spanning over 19 years as a professional cricketer, making his debut for India in 1983. However, later on, he joined Congress once again and landed in many controversies but his political spare is intact so far. After retiring from Cricket, he turned to commentary and television. He joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2004 and contested the general election from Amritsar and won the election. In 2016, he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab before he quit the party. He joined Congress in 2017 and contested the general election from Amritsar East and won the election.

Manoj Prabhakar suffered a thumping loss from New Delhi constituency in 1998.

There was always politics in Indian Cricket. There was always interference by politicians in sports, but these days’ sports personalities are also contributing to Indian politics. Let’s be Gambhir about Gautam and see how he realises the vision of Modi after his political inning.

(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@www.afternoonvoice.com)

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