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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

‘Tiger’ backs ‘Cockroach’

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena (UBT) became the first political party to openly support the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) launched by a Maharashtra youth Abhijeet Dipke who launched a huge protest in New Delhi on Saturday. In a strong statement, SS (UBT) President and ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray threw his weight behind the CJP as thousands of youngsters hit the streets of New Delhi in the scorching sun, not for politics but for their future. “Those whom we call the architects of the nation's future have come...

‘Tiger’ backs ‘Cockroach’

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena (UBT) became the first political party to openly support the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) launched by a Maharashtra youth Abhijeet Dipke who launched a huge protest in New Delhi on Saturday. In a strong statement, SS (UBT) President and ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray threw his weight behind the CJP as thousands of youngsters hit the streets of New Delhi in the scorching sun, not for politics but for their future. “Those whom we call the architects of the nation's future have come out carrying their pain, frustration and anxiety about their future. It is wrong to ridicule them as ‘cockroaches’ and deny them justice,” said the SS (UBT) Tiger. Thackeray said the recent NEET paper leak scandal had shattered the dreams of lakhs of students and their families, raising questions in the minds of youngsters whether merit still matters – as the movement which started on social media has spilled onto the streets across the country. “All these aggrieved young men and women are now raising their voices by becoming ‘cockroaches’. The government must listen to their demands. Do not underestimate the ‘cockroaches’ – this is the warning given by the agitation (today) at Jantar Mantar,” said Thackeray sharply. The SS (UBT)’s supportive stance came against the backdrop of mounting anger among students over the alleged irregularities in major public examinations like NEET, CBSE, CUET, and recruitment processes, which has shaken confidence in the country's education system. The Protest Around dawn, Dipke, 30 – who launched the online movement three weeks ago from the USA – reached India as thousands of supporters waited patiently and peacefully near the Parliament Street Police Station. Many waved the National Tricolour, copies of the Constitution or books of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, others carried flowers which they offered to the 1000-plus alert security personnel deployed there, and several sported symbolic cockroach masks. In a brief address, Dipke accused the government of focusing more on the CJP’s online presence than on the serious issues raised by the students. “You may be able to delete our posts, but you cannot erase us from this space,” he roared, amid loud cheers and thundering applause from the crowd. He said there must be accountability in the form of the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, failing which the CJP will continue its protests in New Delhi and also other parts of India. Anticipating detention after his homecoming, Dipke: “I was fully prepared to sacrifice my freedom for this cause.” In a warm gesture, environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk arrived from Ladakh to join the protest, declared himself as an ‘Honorary cockroach’ and expressed solidarity with Dipke. “People ask what is achieved through protests, sit-ins and marches. It proves that we are alive. The government may treat us like insects, but we are alive and capable of fighting for our rights,” mocked the CJP in a social media statement The CJP volunteers repeatedly urged the protestors to maintain decorum and make their impact in a democratic manner, which the crowds adhered to, but raised full-throated slogans intermittently, even as the protest ended without any untoward incidents. Incidentally, the Delhi Police granted permission for the demonstrations by allowing the crowds to gather directly at Jantar Mantar grounds as a ‘one-time exemption’. Demonstrations expressing solidarity to the cause were held in different parts of the country while tight security was deployed outside Dipke’s home in Chhatrapati Sambhajinar. Why are students forced to agitate?: Aaditya Thackeray Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray said why the students are being compelled to agitate when they should be planning out academic future and career options. “The young students exposed the NEET leak scam, or the CBSE marks scandal. The minister should have resigned or should have been sacked, some officials have been transferred but not suspended. The government should be ashamed of the situation,” said Aditya.

Finally, the Benchwarmer’s Redemption

Oh, joy of joys! In a cricketing universe where fast bowlers get bodyguards and batsmen get billion-dollar endorsements for breathing, we finally have a plot twist worthy of a Bollywood underdog flick. Kuldeep Yadav – that chinaman-spinning wizard who’s been collecting dust on India’s bench longer than a forgotten gym membership – has been unleashed. Not just any old spin, mind you, but a four-wicket demolition derby against the UAE in the Asia Cup opener on September 10, 2025. Who knew that after months of playing spectator to his own career, our boy could still turn a pitch into a graveyard? It’s almost enough to make you believe in karma. Or at least in the selectors’ occasional mercy.


Let’s rewind this tragicomedy for the uninitiated. Picture this: It’s 2017, and Kuldeep bursts onto the scene like a left-arm tornado in a saree shop. Hat-trick in his second ODI against Sri Lanka? Check. Dismantling Australia in Tests with googly grenades? Double check. The kid from Uttar Pradesh was the next big thing – or so we thought. Fast-forward through the haze of IPL auctions, where he’s bounced around like a ping-pong ball from Mumbai Indians (where he didn’t even play, because why waste a googly on the bench?) to Kolkata Knight Riders, and eventually to Delhi Capitals, where he finally got to terrorize batsmen for real. By 2024, he’s snagging 21 IPL wickets, helping India lift the T20 World Cup like it’s no big deal, and even sneaking into the Champions Trophy squad in 2025 for a victory lap. Hero status? Locked and loaded.


But ah, the cruel hand of Indian cricket selection. Enter the Axis of Evil: R Ashwin, the off-spin sage with more wisdom than Yoda; Ravindra Jadeja, the all-rounder unicorn who fields like a panther on espresso; and, let’s not forget, the eternal batting crisis that turns every spinner into a pinch-hitter. Kuldeep, with his deceptive wrong’uns and that flipper that sneaks up like a ninja fart, spent the summer of 2025 in England glued to the team hotel sofa. “Tough for me,” he admitted post-match, probably while practicing his autograph on unused scorecards. Tough? Darling, it was a full-on exile. While the team chased batting depth like it was the last slice of pizza at a party, Kuldeep was out there doing Yo-Yo tests and plotting world domination in the nets. Mental discipline? More like saintly patience. If restraint were an Olympic sport, he’d have gold, silver, and the participation trophy.


And yet, here we are, September 2025, Asia Cup kicking off, and suddenly – poof! – the benchwarmer gets the nod. Why now? Did the selectors draw straws? Lose a bet to the UAE skipper? Or finally realize that facing spin on subcontinental tracks is less fun than a root canal without anesthesia? Whatever the cosmic joke, Kuldeep didn’t just play; he pranced. Four for… well, whatever paltry total the UAE scraped to (57, if we’re being precise, because apparently, they mistook the pitch for a minefield). That wrong’un that kissed the pad on its way to Sanju Samson? Chef’s kiss. The UAE review that went poof because they were out of timeouts? Comedy gold. India chased it down faster than you can say “easy win,” but let’s be real – this was Kuldeep’s show. A four-fer in his first T20I since the 2024 World Cup final? It’s like watching a caged tiger finally get fed – raw, exhilarating, and a tad terrifying for the opposition.


Sarcasm aside (though, really, who needs it when reality writes better punchlines?), this is why we love cricket’s underbelly. In a sport obsessed with six-hitters who moonwalk after boundaries and pacers who grunt like they’re auditioning for a wrestling promo, Kuldeep reminds us that subtlety can be savage. His left-arm chinaman isn’t flashy like Warne’s theatrics – no theatrical appeals or staredowns here. It’s surgical: a flipper here, a googly there, turning batsmen into muppets who poke at shadows. After warming the bench through England’s green-top tedium, where seamers ruled and spinners prayed for rain, Kuldeep’s return feels like poetic justice. No more “batting depth” excuses – just pure, wristy wizardry on turning tracks where he was born to thrive.


Humor me for a second: Imagine the team WhatsApp group during those England sidelines. “Kuldeep, fancy a net session?” “Nah, mates, I’m busy perfecting my Netflix queue. Send pics if anyone gets a wicket.” Or the selectors’ huddle: “Ashwin’s injured? Jadeja’s batting? Quick, who was that spinner we buried in 2023?” Boom – resurrection. It’s hilariously human, this carousel of selection snubs, and Kuldeep’s grin post-match says it all: “I’ve waited this long; now watch me feast.”


So, hail to the chinaman king, finally off the naughty step. In an era where cricket’s become a batting blockbuster, Kuldeep’s comeback is the indie flick we didn’t know we needed – quirky, unexpected, and utterly devastating. May his bench days be a distant memory, replaced by hauls that leave opponents googly-eyed. India cricket, you chaotic beauty: occasionally, you get it right. And damn, does it feel good to cheer.


(The writer is a senior journalist based in Mumbai. Views personal.)

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