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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.

Snubbing Sarfaraz Khan – Masterstroke or Hit Wicket?

The sweet symphony of Indian cricket selection – a melody so predictable it could be scored by a tone-deaf orchestra. Just when you thought the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had exhausted its repertoire of baffling decisions, they drop another chart-topper: excluding Sarfaraz Khan from the India A squad for the upcoming red-ball series against South Africa A. Because nothing says “meritocracy” like ignoring a batsman who’s been piling up runs like he’s hoarding them for a rainy day in Mumbai’s monsoons. It’s October 25, 2025, folks, and apparently, in the grand theater of Test cricket grooming, Sarfaraz is the understudy who forgot his lines. Or, more likely, the one they never bothered to audition.


Let’s rewind the tape – or, in this case, the scorecard – for those blissfully unaware of the farce unfolding. Sarfaraz Khan, the Mumbai middle-order maestro, isn’t some wide-eyed rookie begging for scraps. No, this is a man who’s treated the Ranji Trophy like his personal batting nets, amassing over 3,900 runs at an average north of 67 since his debut in 2014. In the 2023-24 season alone, he notched up 556 runs at 92.66, including three centuries that screamed “pick me!” louder than a vuvuzela at a World Cup. And let’s not forget his Test cameos: a gritty 66 on debut against England in 2024, followed by a counter-attacking 68 in the same series. He even smashed 92 against England Lions just weeks ago, a knock so elegant it could make Picasso weep. Yet, here we are, with the India A squad announcement on October 23 reading like a who’s who of “anyone but him.” Rishabh Pant returns from his toe-tapping hiatus? Splendid. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan get the nod? Of course, they’re the flavor of the month. But Sarfaraz? Oh, honey, sit this one out. The bench is warm; we’ve saved it just for you.


The official line from the BCCI? A masterpiece of evasion worthy of a Kafka novel. Sources whisper it’s because Pant’s back, as if one wicketkeeper-batsman is a zero-sum game where room must be made by evicting the guy who’s actually been, you know, playing and scoring. Or perhaps it’s that perennial favorite: “not fully match-fit.” Never mind that Sarfaraz has been Mumbai’s rock in the ongoing Ranji Trophy, or that he turned 28 last week without so much as a participation trophy from the selectors. Shardul Thakur, bless his all-rounder heart, piped up yesterday with the gem: “Sarfaraz doesn’t need India A games to play international cricket.” How adorably optimistic! It’s like telling a PhD candidate they don’t need a thesis defense because they’ve already read the books. Sure, Shardul, and I don’t need oxygen because I’ve breathed before. But in the cutthroat arena of Indian selections, where spots are doled out like party favors to the connected, “not needing” something is code for “we’re pretending you don’t exist.”


And oh, the delicious undercurrents of this snub – because nothing spices up incompetence like a dash of controversy. Kerala politician Shama Mohamed couldn’t resist tweeting the elephant in the room: “Not selected because of surname?” Ouch. Sarfaraz Khan – that distinctly Muslim name in a lineup where diversity often stops at “safe bets” – suddenly feels like the plot twist in a bad Bollywood drama. Remember when he was overlooked for years despite domestic hauls that could fill a warehouse? Or how, post-debut, he’s been shuttled like a spare tire, only to be deflated at the first sign of “balance”? It’s almost poetic: a player from a minority community, grinding through Islamophobic whispers and selector blind spots, only to be told, “Thanks, but we’ve got enough brown-skinned talent… just not your kind.” Sarcasm aside (though who are we kidding?), if merit were the metric, Sarfaraz would be captaining India A by now, not cooling his heels while lesser lights get their glow-up.


The selectors, ensconced in their air-conditioned echo chambers, probably patted themselves on the back for “strategic depth.” Depth? More like the shallow end of the talent pool, where favoritism floats and form sinks.


It’s a travesty that reeks of the BCCI’s favorite perfume: entitlement. They’ve turned “A” team into “Also-Rans” for players like Sarfaraz, who dare to excel without the right godfather or Instagram filter. Irfan Pathan called it “not even close to the truth” when excuses flew, and he’s spot on. This isn’t oversight; it’s obstruction. A board that preaches workload management but overloads its darlings, that champions youth but benches proven performers – it’s a clown car careening toward irrelevance.


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

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