THE POST-IPL HANGOVER: WALKING UP TO 'NEW' INDIA

By Atif Siddiqui / Mumbai

The wickets fell in spectacular succession. Chennai Super Kings were 3-3 in less than two overs. A moment of high drama that would have drawn shrieks of excitement was instead greeted with a strained enthusiasm. Our cheers sounded forced, and the excitement of the commentators rang false. The weeks of relentless IPL corruption coverage had taken their toll.

Prayaag Akbar recently skewered the ‘Betrayed Billion’ rhetoric, arguing, “Most of this nation, I think, sees this tournament for what it is: a giant carnival of capitalism, one that comes with a little cricket attached.” A view I heartily endorsed just days ago. I hadn’t grasped that it was the cricket that made the carnival. Robbed of its integrity, the IPL had turned into a dull pantomime, an empty exercise whose outcome no longer signified.

WHY THE NAXALS TARGETED CHHT'GARH CONG LEADERS?

By M H Ahssan / Raipur

Since the Naxals are not going to tell us why they think the dastardly attack on Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh two days back – including PCC chief Nand Kumar Patel and his son – was justified, we have to use the concept of Occam’s Razor to arrive at a conclusion: when in doubt opt for the simplest and most obvious explanations.

The Naxals benefit from these murders for some very basic reasons.

'IS ISLAM INHERENTLY MISOGYNISTIC?' AN INTERVIEW

By Annie Sadaf / Hyderabad

As the first American woman to translate the Quran into English, Laleh Bakhtiar corrects often misinterpreted verses on women’s treatment by re-infusing the translation with a feminine perspective. In this interview with INN, Laleh discusses her experience interpreting the Quran.

Q: You are such an incredible spiritual force that I’m not even sure where to begin. You’ve written and translated a combination of 25 books about Islam. In 2007, you published the first translation of the Quran by an American woman, The Sublime Qur’an. As a woman translator, much less an American woman, you must have known you would face criticism. What compelled you to translate the Quran?

WHY SONIA GANDHI'S FUMES OVER THE CHT'GARH ATTACK?

By Mithilesh Misra / Raipur

“There is no balance on my cell connection and I don’t have any money. Can you please call me back?” This was Gudsa Usendi, Maoist spokesperson of the Dandakaranya Special Zone Committee, calling my office, apparently from somewhere in Chhattisgarh. It sounded amusing that this man representing the biggest internal security threat to the country, presumably flush with funds from extortion and other criminal activities, should be short of cash to top up his Sim card.

‘ISLAM GRANTS WOMEN RIGHTS TAKEN BY PATRIARCHY'

By Bismah Fatima / Hyderabad

Author and curator Samina Ali has written a novel, founded a feminist organization, been an ambassador, and the one strand running through all her work is her determination to create a greater awareness about Islam. “There’s nothing in the faith itself that diminishes women – it’s power, politics, and sometimes a purposeful misapplication of Islamic law,” said Ali. Ali’s most recent project is the International Museum of Women’s Muslima: Muslim Women’s Art and Voices, an online exhibition about Muslim women that she has curated. INN chat informally in an interviewed with Samina ali. Excerpts of the chat:

DEADLY HEAT WAVE IN ANDHRA PRADESH CLAIMS 524 LIVES

INN News Desk

The death toll in the heat wave that continues to grip Andhra Pradesh mounted to 524, officials said. The commissioner disaster management, who had Saturday put the toll at 294 since 1 April, has now revised it to 524.

The highest maximum temperature of 51.9 degrees Celsius was recorded at Tuni and Visakhpatnam. Kakinada and Vijayawada recorded 48.4 degrees Celsius. The mercury touched 47.2 degress Celsius in Bapatla, Machilipatnam, Rentachintala, Hanamkonda and Ramagundam.

SARADHA SCAM: 350 PETITIONS FOUND ON RAIL TRACKS

By Richa Rai / Kolkata

About 350 sheets, allegedly copies of petitions filed by depositors related to the Saradha chit fund scam, were found on the side of rail tracks between Kalna and Guptipara stations of Eastern Railway’s Howrah-Burdwan section on Sunday.

GRP sources said about 350 papers, claimed to be petitions of depositors from Murshidabad and Jharkhand, were spotted lying on the sides of the rail track at Purbo Satgachia station by local residents.

'I NEVER CROSS MY LIMITS WITH SALMAN' - ARBAAZ KHAN

By Srikant Shirke & Niloufer Khan

Better late than never. After 15 years of surviving a thinly spread career in acting, Arbaaz Khan has finally hit the bull’s eye. In fact, the self-actualisation for the actor-turned-filmmaker first began when his Arbaaz Khan Productions presented the 100 crore blockbuster Dabangg in 2010. As a producer, he was the toast of the red carpet as his film won a hamper of awards that year. But when he was made to helm the sequel Dabangg 2, it was destiny unveiling his finest role for him.