How did the entry of the BJP and Hindutva complicate the already chaotic world of Indian sport? Are cricketers by design less anti establishment than footballers? Race and gender are today big conversations in the global sporting community. Why is it difficult to talk about these things in India?

In this episode of What's Your Ism Sudipto Mondal speaks to the renowned sports writer and critic Sharda Ugra.

Sharda shares deep insights from her 30 years as a sports writer and critic as she grapples with the most pressing challenges before Indian sport.

Watch the full episode on our YouTube channel or listen to this podcast, available on all streaming platforms.

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Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara stated on Monday, August 5, that action would be taken against Congress MLA Chennareddy Patil Tunnur and his son Pampanna Gouda if the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) implicates them in the no death of Sub-Inspector (SI) Parashurama. The deceased policeman belonged to the Holeya community, categorised as Scheduled Caste.

"The case is being investigated by the CID. Let the report come out first. We will initiate action if there is a role of the Congress MLA and his son," Parameshwara told media persons. He added that the government is also awaiting the post-mortem report to ascertain the exact cause of death, which would provide clarity on the incident.

The death of 35-year-old SI Parashurama at his residence in Yadgir on August 2 has sparked a major controversy, with his family alleging mental torture by the local Congress MLA. According to the family, the deceased officer was transferred from Yadgir police station to the cybercrime police station, and the MLA allegedly demanded Rs 30 lakh to stop the transfer.

Shwetha, Parashurama's wife, lodged a police complaint against MLA Tunnur and his son, holding them responsible for her husband's death. She submitted her complaint to Yadgir SP Sangeetha. The Home Minister also announced that the Karnataka government would provide employment to the deceased officer's wife. "I will meet the family soon and we have decided to give employment in the government service to the deceased’s wife. We will ensure that the family gets compensation as well as the government job," Parameshwara said.

The incident has led to protests by Dalit organisations and the deceased officer's family on National Highway 50, demanding the arrest of Patil. They accused Patil of demanding a bribe for the posting and claimed the police department was siding with the MLA. Shwetha alleged that her husband was repeatedly mentally tortured for money.

"The MLA did not give the posting as we are Dalits and we were not able to give him a bribe for the posting," Shwetha alleged. Parashurama was reportedly under pressure due to debts and had spoken to RDPR, IT and BT Minister Priyank Kharge about the issue over the phone.

BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and other political leaders, including BJP's Leader of Opposition R Ashoka and Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy, have criticised the state government and questioned the commitment of Home Minister G Parameshwara and CM Siddaramaiah regarding protection of Dalits in the state.

Bhavana, her husband Sajin, their two kids, aged four years and four months, went up the hills of Kerala’s Wayanad in Sajin’s pick-up truck all the way from their home in Idukki, to offer, like countless others, help in the landslide-struck areas where hundreds have died and many more are missing. Twenty-seven-year-old Bhavana had a unique offer of help, she said she would feed breast milk to babies who are separated from their mothers, or whose guardians were too injured to look after them. Sajin’s social media post about his wife’s offer brought many phone calls, taking the family of four to Wayanad on Thursday, August 1. On Monday, August 5, they have just come back home to Idukki, after having served families in camps in Meppadi for four days.

“We visited a few camps and hostels. I fed a few babies below six months of age, who cannot consume other kinds of food yet. But as soon as their mothers who were injured in the landslide recuperated, they would take over. We, as a family, also looked after the children or others who needed care,” Bhavana says.

Their elder girl Evangelina and younger son Elgin – who is still breastfeeding – were also with Bhavana and Sajin. “People had offered to sponsor our trip. But we were able to manage on our own,” Bhavana says. Sajin works as a pick-up driver and Bhavana is a homemaker. 

“I used to work as a kindergarten guardian and teacher at a public school before marriage,” she recalls. The thought of offering to breastfeed came to her when she saw how people were suffering, photos of babies among them, and how everyone was trying to send in help. “I am a feeding mother, and I know breast milk is best for children, so that’s what I wanted to offer,” she says. 

A Bengaluru-based non-governmental organisation, Jhatkaa.org has initiated an online petition to immediately conduct Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) elections. It has been nearly nine years since the last council elections were held. The elections, supposed to occur every five years, have been delayed since 2020, leaving critical posts vacant. 

The petition calls on the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, DK Shivakumar, to conduct the elections and issue a timeline for them. According to the petition, the prolonged delay has created a significant "governance vacuum," reducing political accountability and transparency. “For instance, without elected representatives, decisions about budget allocations and urban development projects lack the scrutiny that elected officials would be accountable for. Consequently, this has resulted in a disconnect between the needs of the citizens and the administration,” the petition said.

It adds that the absence of elected officials has led to dysfunction in essential mechanisms such as ward committee meetings, which are crucial for addressing issues like water scarcity, waste management, and road maintenance. Listing out the challenges, the petition said that poor management has led to infrastructure failure, particularly in areas like Outer Ring Road and Sarjapur Road. “These roads are in disrepair, posing dangers to vehicles and pedestrians. Inadequate street lighting has increased the risk of night-time accidents,” it said.

The petition also cites data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) for 2022 which said that Bengaluru has the highest number of deaths due to negligence by the civic body. “Broken footpaths, pothole-ridden roads, and hanging cables have put lives at risk. Pedestrian fatalities have increased by 77% between 2021 and 2023 due to the lack of proper civic infrastructure,” it said.

A group of migrant workers working in fish stalls in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta donated their one-day salary to the Chief Minister Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF). The funds will be used to help people from Wayanad affected by the devastating landslides, which occurred on July 30. Husain Ali and Indeswr Sonowal, two migrant workers, met with the Pathanamthitta district administration’s financial officer and handed over the one-day wages of 13 migrant workers, who work with them in adjacent fish stalls. 

Husain Ali and Indeswr Sonowal have been working in Kerala for the past 10 years. The duo said that whatever they had was given by the people of Kerala and felt it was their responsibility to help them in turn during the disaster. “It is so difficult to watch the channels. We felt very sad after knowing what was happening in Wayanad. So we discussed it among ourselves and decided to give our one-day salary,” Indeswr Sonowal, called Babu by everyone, told TNM. 

Indeswr and the other 12 migrant workers are from Assam and working in three different fish stalls nearby. “We decided to give what we can afford now. We believe that, even if it’s a small contribution, it will help to buy something for the people who lost everything. So we asked our manager how to help and what to do. He told us about the CMDR fund and we decided to contribute to the relief fund,” Indeswr added. 

Rajeev, the owner of one of the fish stalls also went to the District Collector’s office with them.

“Ali and Sonowal have been watching all the news channels and are clearly aware of what is happening in Wayanad. Two days back, they asked me how to help the people who have suffered. I informed them about the chief minister’s relief fund and they were immediately ready to give their one-day salary. They asked me, ‘Shouldn’t we stand by the land that provides us bread in time of a disaster’,” Rajeev explained. 

The disaster that occurred on July 30, killed over 250 individuals and over 200 persons are still missing in Meppadi panchayat. Mundakkai and Chooralmala in Meppadi panchayat are the worst affected areas. According to government data, around 9,328 displaced persons have been housed in 91 relief camps opened in the district. The Kerala government has been receiving donations from people around the country. 

Many people including celebrities have been requesting people across the world to help to rebuild a village that was completely destroyed in three consecutive landslides. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan also have requested people to contribute money to CMRDF. 

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Monday, August 5, blamed the Kerala government for “allowing illegal habitation and mining” which he claimed, led to the horrific landslide in Wayanad. 

Speaking to news agency PTI the Minister said, “The number one reason for the landslide was habitation. Number two was illegal mining with the protection of the local government and it’s very shameful.”

He also added that as states have ownership of forests, the Union government had already asked the Kerala government to submit its objections and suggestions to its committee to delineate eco-sensitive zones. The committee is headed by former director general for forests Sanjay Kumar. However, he alleged that the Kerala government was not “cooperating” with the committee. 

“The Environment Ministry has issued six draft notifications, including one issued on July 31, since March 10, 2014, to declare over 56,800 square kilometres of the Western Ghats across six states as eco-sensitive but the final notification is pending amid objections from states,” Yadav reportedly also told PTI.

He further described the Western Ghats as one of the “most fragile regions in the country” similar to the Himalayas, adding that it is the state government’s responsibility to take “serious measures to prevent disasters in such regions.

At the Azim Premji University convocation ceremony on Sunday, August 4, students stood in solidarity against the ongoing genocide in Palestine. As they went up to receive their degrees, many students sported the Palestinian flag and stickers reading ‘End Genocide’, reportedly to draw attention to the alleged complicity of Azim Premji University and Wipro in the ongoing conflict through their partnerships with Israeli institutions.

Azim Premji University is primarily funded by the Azim Premji Foundation, which is a not-for-profit organisation. The Foundation was established by Azim Premji, the founder of Wipro Limited, one of India’s largest IT services companies.

Pointing out that Wipro has a research partnership with Tel Aviv University, the students criticised the company for its ties to Israeli organisations. They demanded that Wipro divest from Israeli multinational corporations and institutions, and urged the company to cease funding activities that they alleged contribute to the genocide in Palestine.

“Azim Premji Foundation is funded by Wipro and has a reputation of being very philanthropic. On one hand they are maintaining an image of working for the welfare of people and on other hand they are enabling the genocide of Palestinians by partnering with Israeli organisations. We demand that the company stop investing in Israel and stand with the people of Palestine,” said Sachin, a student at the university. 

“A few students wore Palestinian flags as a sign of solidarity. The convocation ceremony was held without disturbance and there were no protests on campus that we are aware of," a spokesperson of the Azim Premji University said.

West Bengal Minister of State in charge of the correctional services department (independent charge) Akhil Giri, on Monday, submitted his resignation from the cabinet.

He submitted his resignation to the Chief Secretary B.P. Goapalika through WhatsApp. “I have submitted the resignation to the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee through the Chief Secretary through WhatsApp. That was exactly what I was asked to do from the office of the Chief Secretary. I will submit a hard copy of my resignation letter in due course,” Giri told the mediapersons later.

He informed about his decision to tender his resignation from the ministerial chair on Sunday only after the Trinamool Congress state president and the party Rajya Sabha member Subrata Bakshi asked him to quit.

Giri has fallen into the bad books of the Chief Minister as well as his party leadership after a video went viral on Saturday where he was seen abusing a woman officer of the state forest department. The officer accompanied by her team was attempting to free forest land of illegal encroachment at Tajpur Sea Resort in the East Midnapore district.

On Sunday, Bakshi had also directed Giri to tender an apology to the woman forest officers. On Monday after tendering his resignation, Giri maintained that under no circumstance he will tender any kind of apology to the woman forest officer.

“I am again saying that never in my political life have I apologized to any government servant. This time also I will not tender an apology to the forest officer concerned. If necessary, as a public representative I will tender my apology to the Chief Minister,” Giri said.

Meanwhile, the state leadership of BJP has claimed that mere tendering of resignation is too timid a punishment for the offence committed by the minister. According to the BJP leaders, considering the crime he had committed by abusing and obstructing an on-duty woman officer he should be arrested.

Giri had been long known for his controversial statements which had posed immense embarrassment for his party leaders. Last year he was severely reprimanded by the Chief Minister for making derogatory comments concerning the looks of President Droupadi Murmu. Giri, however, then tendered a public apology following the pressure.

On the seventh day of Kerala’s worst-ever natural disaster, a huge mass burial will take place on Monday afternoon, said the state's Revenue Minister K. Rajan in the aftermath of the landslide at Wayanad that took place in four villages in the wee hours last Tuesday.

“The mass burial will take place on 64 cents of land owned by the Harrison Malayalam plantation in Meppadi panchayat on Monday afternoon. It includes 31 full bodies which have not been identified and 158 various body parts,” said Rajan.

“We will keep the bodies for the people to identify till noon and then all the unclaimed bodies will be numbered, so would be each and every body part. Then it will be put into a box and buried. After the burial takes place we will write the number on the outside. Samples of each and every body part and also the full bodies have been taken and send for DNA tests and once the report comes, we will do what needs to be done,” said Rajan.

According to the Disaster Management Act, 10 bodies can be interred in one cent of land, but here the state government decided to inter only seven bodies/parts in one cent of land. One cent is equal to 435.56 square feet.

The mass burial will be held after an all-religion prayer.

This takes place as the rescue operations entered the seventh day when the toll touched 388 with 180 people still missing after the massive landslides and floods at Wayanad, last Tuesday.

The over 1,500-strong rescue team comprising personnel from all the Defence forces, NDRF, SDRF, police, fire service and volunteers began searches early on Monday morning in the four worst-affected areas of Churalmala, Velarimala, Mundakayil, and Punchirimadom.

An interim government is being formed in Bangladesh on Monday, August 5 amid escalating nationwide protests, Bangladesh army chief general Waker-Uz-Zaman said.

In an address, Waker-Uz-Zaman said that the army was going to meet Bangladesh president Mohammed Shahabuddin to discuss the further course of action.

The army chief general added that the people’s demand will be fulfilled and stability will be restored. He has asked the citizens of Bangladesh to cooperate adding that violence will “not achieve anything” and asked people to “stop this kind of agitation”.

Earlier on Monday, rumours swirled that Sheikh Hasina has resigned, local TV channels showed people clapping and singing on the streets.

Several reports suggest that Sheikh Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana have left Bangladesh on Monday “for a safer place”. The protesters entered the Bangladesh prime minister’s official residence, Ganabhaban, without any restrictions, as per reports.

Over 100 people were killed and more than a thousand were injured as a fresh wave of violence erupted in Bangladesh on Sunday, which was the first day of the student-led non-cooperation movement, aimed to mount pressure on Sheikh Hasina to step dow.

Ruling party activists and the police clashed with anti-government protesters, in around 20 districts of the country, reported The Daily Star.

In the country’s northern district of Sirajganj, an angry mob attacked a police station and 13 police personnel were beaten to death. In another incident, at least five people died in clashes in Raiganj upazila of Sirajganj. With 18 deaths, Sirajganj has the highest death toll among all other districts from the violence on August 4.

As the violence escalated, mobs also torched and vandalised the homes of lawmakers from the ruling party, Awami League offices, police stations, vehicles of police personnel, prison vans and hospital buses.

Following the unabated violence, the Sheikh Hasina government tightened nationwide curfew and blocked 4G mobile internet. Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs advised Indian citizens in Bangladesh to exercise extreme caution, restrict their movements and remain in contact with the High Commission of India in Dhaka with their emergency phone numbers.

The ongoing protests started in response to the high court’s verdict declaring a circular issued in 2018 cancelling the 30% quota for freedom fighters’ descendants in government jobs illegal. The quota system reserved 30% of government posts for children and grandchildren of freedom fighters,  10% for women and 10% for residents of specific districts. There are also quotas for ethnic minorities and the disabled people but the students are not opposing those.

On July 21, the Bangladesh Supreme Court has ordered 93% of the government jobs in the country to be allocated on a merit-based system. Under the revised system, 5% of civil service positions will still be reserved for children of war veterans who fought for Bangladesh’s independence in 1971. An additional 2% will be allocated for other designated categories.An interim government is being formed in Bangladesh on Monday (August 5) amid escalating nationwide protests, Bangladesh army chief general Waker-Uz-Zaman said.

In an address, Waker-Uz-Zaman said that the army was going to meet Bangladesh president Mohammed Shahabuddin to discuss the further course of action.

The army chief general added that the people’s demand will be fulfilled and stability will be restored. He has asked the citizens of Bangladesh to cooperate adding that violence will “not achieve anything” and asked people to “stop this kind of agitation”.

Earlier on Monday, rumours swirled that Sheikh Hasina has resigned, local TV channels showed people clapping and singing on the streets. Several reports suggest that Sheikh Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana have left Bangladesh on Monday “for a safer place”. The protesters entered the Bangladesh prime minister’s official residence, Ganabhaban, without any restrictions, as per reports.

Over 100 people were killed and more than a thousand were injured as a fresh wave of violence erupted in Bangladesh on Sunday, which was the first day of the student-led non-cooperation movement, aimed to mount pressure on Sheikh Hasina to step dow.

Ruling party activists and the police clashed with anti-government protesters, in around 20 districts of the country, reported The Daily Star.

In the country’s northern district of Sirajganj, an angry mob attacked a police station and 13 police personnel were beaten to death. In another incident, at least five people died in clashes in Raiganj upazila of Sirajganj. With 18 deaths, Sirajganj has the highest death toll among all other districts from the violence on August 4.

As the violence escalated, mobs also torched and vandalised the homes of lawmakers from the ruling party, Awami League offices, police stations, vehicles of police personnel, prison vans and hospital buses.

Following the unabated violence, the Sheikh Hasina government tightened nationwide curfew and blocked 4G mobile internet.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs advised Indian citizens in Bangladesh to exercise extreme caution, restrict their movements and remain in contact with the High Commission of India in Dhaka with their emergency phone numbers.

The ongoing protests started in response to the high court’s verdict declaring a circular issued in 2018 cancelling the 30% quota for freedom fighters’ descendants in government jobs illegal. The quota system reserved 30% of government posts for children and grandchildren of freedom fighters,  10% for women and 10% for residents of specific districts. There are also quotas for ethnic minorities and the disabled people but the students are not opposing those.

On July 21, the Bangladesh Supreme Court has ordered 93% of the government jobs in the country to be allocated on a merit-based system. Under the revised system, 5% of civil service positions will still be reserved for children of war veterans who fought for Bangladesh’s independence in 1971. An additional 2% will be allocated for other designated categories.

This article has been republished from The Wire with permission. The original article can be accessed here.