Parineeti to attend the closing ceremony of World Cup Kabaddi in Punjab

Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra will grace the closing ceremony of the World Cup Kabaddi to be held at the Jalalabad Stadium in the Fazilka district in Punjab on November 17. While the opening and closing ceremonies of the previous editions were attended by stars like Arjun Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha, Priyanka Chopra and Ranveer Singh, this year, Parineeti's presence will be worth looking forward to in this year's closing ceremony. 

Punjabi artistes like Gurdas Maan, Harshdeep Kaur, Jassi Gill, Babbal Rai, Miss Pooja, Jaswinder Bhalla and Bal Mukund Sharma will also perform at the event. The tournament is organised by Punjab Sports Council in association with Ferriswheel Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

Congress! Where is it now?

"Does the Congress Party exist?" comes a query from an educated Bengali middle-class man in his twenties. As I look for answers to quench his thirst, I end up on a disappointing note. Well, there's one Sonia Gandhi who still flouts her power as the president of the age-old party and then there's one Rahul Gandhi, her son, who promises to turn things around.

For Rahul, there's a one-point-agenda i.e to castigate India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi at every step. Short of logic but not short of rhetorics, he is on a mission to corner our PM be it on the latter's bonhomie with industrialists or his nonchalance towards farmers. For a change, the Gandhi family scion has some good things to say about Modi over the surgical strikes across the LoC on September 29. Well, Rahul has no other choice because if he vilifies the Gujarati strongman now, he himself will end up as an anti-Indian.

But, let's not put the blame solely on Rahul Baba. His own party men are so busy playing politics over the Modi government's aggressive attitude towards Pakistan. Take it: "This kind of strikes have taken place earlier also. The only difference is this chest-thumping and media sort of going overboard. This never happened before because the earlier Prime Minister thought these issues are best left to be dealt with by the security forces,” said a senior Congress member by the name of Digvijaya Singh as quoted by IANS.

At a time, when the Congress party has almost been decimated all over the country (the Arunachal Pradesh fiasco, losing its bastions in West Bengal and the party-run-government in Karnataka facing a heavy weather over the Cauvery dispute), a party that has given PMs like Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, PV Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh to the country, is in a state of shambles.

Lack of vision and leadership will only cut it a sorry figure in national politics. Be it in Uttar Pradesh or Punjab, two states going to the polls next year, Congress hasn't made too many inroads into the voters' minds despite the 27 Saal, Up Behaal campaign looking at the UP polls. Its Chief Ministerial (CM) candidate in UP, also a former Delhi CM, Sheila Dixit is unlikely to garner the upper-caste and Brahmin votes as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has its eyes set on them.

In Punjab, the party's Chief Ministerial candidate Amarinder Singh is facing the heat as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has sent summons to his son Raninder Singh for gross violations of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). With former cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu floating his own outfit breaking away from BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) trying to gain some ground, Congress might not find itself on a benign track in the Land of Five Rivers.

The biggest mistake that the Congress party has done is that it has tried to politicise an issue of grave concern related to the security of the country. By going overboard over its lack of ecstasy on surgical strikes during the reign of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) in New Delhi, the party sends the wrong message across. Rahul Gandhi may praise Modi on the retaliation post Uri, but some of the senior leaders of the former's party have only spoiled the party by taking jibes at the Union Government at a time when the whole country should speak in one voice.

The problem with Congress is that it still is paranoid to look beyond the Gandhi family. As if, it's just one family that personifies leadership. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has blamed Congress for compromising on national security by putting defence spendings on the back burner since Independence. Yes scams after scams have jolted the image of the party over the years. But what is the party looking at now?

With no constructive criticism to challenge the BJP-led-National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Congress is busy zeroing in on digging loopholes from the grave to malign the central government not with any success though. Poll strategist Prashant Kishor would be a worried man as being the man in charge of steering the party to a position of reverence in UP and Punjab, juvenile actions on the part of Congress leaders is only queering the pitch for the party.

Too much of confusion as the party isn't sure of when Priyanka Gandhi will step in to boost up the sagging morale of the ordinary UP Congress supporter. Similarly, in Punjab, there's a lot to be done. In West Bengal, the state party chief, Adhir Chowdhury is facing the flak for failing to tackle defection to the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).

In other states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Assam, Odisha, Haryana and some others, Congress hardly is a force to reckon with. Even in Haryana, allegations of extra favours given to some businessmen by the previous Congress government led by Bhupinder Singh Hooda is giving goose bumps to a grass root Congress loyalist.

Utter frustration for staying out of power is throwing the party into oblivion. Hence, we have to deal with archaic statements that have little relevance in the current context emanating from some Congress leaders.

Forget leadership, Congress lacks a well-thought-out strategy to earn back the people's confidence. And don't blame its opponents if they have a big laugh over Congress' misery.

Lot to ponder over, Soniaji and Rahulji! The going will get tougher in the days to come.

At 79, Anna Hazare is keen on joining back the Army to fight Pakistan

In the wake of growing animosity between India and Pakistan, social activist Anna Hazare has expressed his willingness to join back the Army and teach Pakistan a lesson. Mind you, he's 'only' 79. "Agar Pakistan nahi manta hai aur zarurat padi toh main seema pe jake ladunga (If Pakistan doesn't listen and if need be I'll go and fight at the border)," said Hazare on a show to promote his biopic Anna that releases on October 14.

Incidentally, Hazare was drafted into the Indian Army in April 1960 (pic on top), where he first worked as an army truck driver and was later attested as a soldier. During the Indo-Pakistan War in 1965, Hazare was posted at the border in the Khem Karan sector (Punjab) and was part of the Battle of Asal Uttar that was fought between the two countries between September 8 and 10 in 1965. He was the sole survivor of an enemy attack.

Though, his wish to fight Pakistan on the battle field is unlikely to come true, but the very spirit at this age should set an example for the youth of the country. Anna directed by Shashank Udapurkar stars apart from the director, Tanishaa Mukherji, Rajit Kapoor, Sharat Saxena and Govind Namdeo.

Hope Sidhu Paaji doesn't go the Kejriwal way

It takes a lot of gumption and courage to float an independent front in the presence of strong political outfits, which are way ahead in terms of man power and bank balance. In this context, former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), MP Navjot Singh Sidhu's decision to create Aawaaz-e-Punjab along with ex-Indian hockey captain, Pargat Singh and MLAs Simarjit Singh Bains and Balwant Singh Bains deserves a Thumbs Up.

So, neither is the former Indian cricketer joining Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) nor Congress. And he has scotched all rumours of returning to the BJP fold. Though, it's early days for the front, question marks on its viability are inevitable. With Congress, BJP-SAD and AAP on the field, Sidhu no doubt has tough competition coming his way. But that's a different question and only time will prove how deftly, the former MP, handles his adversaries.

But what's relevant here is whether Sidhu will go the AAP way? A man with a clean image who minces no words, Sidhu has a tough task ahead. Looking back, when Delhi's Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal walked away from his mentor Anna Hazare's campaign against corruption, the reason he gave was that he needed a political platform to clean the system. Fair enough! His call was lapped up by people coming from various sections of the society including celebrities who got carried away by Kejriwal's oratory skills.

However, four years down the line, it's on same premises that Kejriwal is facing salvos from his rivals. One after another, his party men are making news for the wrong reasons, the latest being minister Sandeep Kumar who embarrassed Kejriwal and his party with a leaked video purportedly showing him in a compromising position with two women that resulted in his sacking.

Before that it was AAP's Punjab convener Succha Singh Chhotepur who was stripped of his post on charges of asking for money to give party tickets. The Kumar and Chhotepur incidents were preceded by AAP's Lok Sabha MP, Bhagwant Singh Mann's juvenile instincts that put the security of the Parliament at stake. Then there was Naresh Yadav who was arrested for insulting the Quran.

Contrast this to what Kejriwal envisaged when he gave birth to his party. The anti-corruption plank which brought him to the hot seat of the CM on two occasions, is now boomeranging on him. And add to it, the sex scandal and desecration charges, which denigrate his party at a time when Kejriwal is looking for a pan-India reach with his eyes set on Gujarat, Goa and Punjab (states slated to go the polling booths in the next two years). He certainly didn't research enough while setting up his house.

In the wake of Kejriwal's misery, it is important for Sidhu to tread a careful path while choosing his team. He may have been in politics for a while (he was even elected to the Lok Sabha from Amritsar in 2009 and was nominated to the Rajya Sabha this year), but in politics, blind faith dies a hundred death. As per a survey done after the 2014 Parliamentary elections, 34 per cent of Lok Sabha members would have criminal cases against them, (a jump from 30 in 2009 and 24 in 2004). According to an analysis by The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW) reported by the website Matters India, every third legislator in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kerala that went to the polls recently has a criminal background.

The situation is grim as Sidhu would know and despite PM Narendra Modi's call, "Na khaunga, na khane dunga," graft and the nexus between crime and politics are rampant. Apart from picking up the right people, Sidhu needs to develop a team work and instill inner-party democracy, instead of becoming an autocratic leader like Kejriwal, an allegation the latter faces. When two leaders of the repute of Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan were sidelined by Kejriwal, one saw the dictatorial side of the AAP convener. Time and again, his actions have only 'vindicated' his style of functioning that has come under severe criticism.

Sidhu should learn a thing or two from Kejriwal. After days of keeping us on tenterhooks (regarding his decision), Sidhu has finally put all speculations to rest and taken the biggest risk of his political career. Before announcing his future course of action and political alignments, Sidhu should first sit down to set his house in order.

And he has an advantage. Sidhu has a mass appeal courtesy his days as a cricketer, a no-nonsense attitude at the commentary box and ability to tickle the funny bone on TV. In one sense, he has the charisma, but it remains to be seen how far his aura puts him at the right place. On the political battle ground, you certainly need a lot more qualities to woo the electorate.

For Sidhu Paaji, the political future looks uncertain

A former Indian cricketer, then reticent opened up once he was at the commentary box. Those who have played with Navjot Singh Sidhu would vouch that the latter hardly spoke during his playing days.

But after calling it a day, Sidhu has never minced words. His one-liners are legendary and the shayaris make for an interesting listen every time he is on television. But with due respect, the ex-Indian opening batsman hasn't read the political pulse too well. Had it been so, he wouldn't have found himself hunting for a platform to relaunch his career on.

So, will he or won't he? Having quit the Rajya Sabha as a representative of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Sidhu also a former Lok Sabha MP from Amritsar seems to be unsure of his political future. The bargaining with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) hasn't reaped him any benefit as the former's convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal refuses to make the Sardar the party's CM face in the Punjab assembly elections due next year. Don't blame Kejriwal. He can't afford to antagonise his loyal lieutenants by backing an outsider and that also from a party he just can't tolerate.

It's all about being 'politically bang-on' and Sidhu finds himself staring at political darkness at this point of time. This reminds us of the 1996 tour to England, when Sidhu decided to catch the next flight back home midway because of differences with the then Indian captain Mohammed Azharuddin. The Lion of Patiala did make a comeback into the Indian team only to play his last international match in 1999.The reason is simple: He had by then made more foes than well-wishers both in and outside the team.

Talk about his political career, Sidhu wasn't the happiest man on earth when he was asked to make way for Arun Jaitley for the Amritsar Parliamentary Constituency in 2014, which the current Finance Minister lost. Hurt and humiliated, Sidhu preferred to focus on his TV career instead of trying to strengthen his position in BJP. As luck would have it, the 'injustice' done to him was made up by the party when he made it to the Rajya Sabha on a BJP ticket. But all hell broke loose, when he resigned, apparently because BJP was reluctant to entrust him with bigger responsibilities (read leading the party's campaign in the Punjab elections).

It's well-known that Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal of Shiromoni Akalai Dal (SAD), with which BJP is in alliance in the north-Indian state doesn't hold Sidhu in high esteem. Sidhu's wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu, also a member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly doesn't share an excellent rapport with the Badal family.

If he were deprived by BJP, AAP too doesn't want to take the risk of going into the Punjab elections with Sidhu in the forefront. Despite being an international celebrity, it's political immaturity and on top of it lack of charisma which go against the cricketer-turned-politician. BJP wouldn't commit a blunder by over hyping Sidhu that would earn the party the wrath of Badal. Similarly, AAP isn't unaware of the fact that Sidhu is a political novice vis-a-vis Amarinder Singh of Congress and Badal of SAD-BJP.

Under the current circumstances, Sidhu needs to introspect and meticulously plan his next course of action. The blunders as a cricketer have cost his career dear, but on a political field, he has to understand that he can't trust even his own shadow. More importantly, it's imperative that he has a clear-cut assessment of his political acumen.  Both his wife and he are keeping options open it seems. Mrs. Sidhu despite standing by her husband, took part in BJP's Tiranga Yatra. However, BJP's doors are almost closed on the former Indian cricketer, if media reports are to be taken seriously. So, what does Sidhu do now?  

Walking down the track and hitting it over the top was never a tough ask for Sidhu. But political juggernauts pose a different challenge to him. There's no doubt, he has over estimated his political prowess. And in the process, he has rubbed too many political heavyweights the wrong way. The earlier he understands it, the better it is for him.