MF Hussain's gallery vandalised

     Ahmedabad: Dozens of Swabhiman Seva activists in Ahmedabad vandalised the art gallery of eminent painter Maqbool Fida Hussain on Monday after his new work portrayed "Mother India" as a naked woman. Protestors ransacked the prominent gallery in wee hours. "The canteen part of the Hussain Ahmedabadi Gufa Gallery, has been ransacked and the glasses have been broken. This was very disturbing in a way that first of all to attach two different events now, as it is a public place, it's actually meant to be an educational campus for people to come together for artistic pursuits. So, actually it's a place where students come, artists come and it's a sort of a social core where such kind of reactions are generally little disturbing," said Jatin Pandya, one of the gallery's architects. "I personally believe in the freedom of expression that poets, artists, everybody as an individual has a right to their opinion and expression. Same way the people who are hurt have also the right to express their reservation and respond. But I think there are more civilized ways of coming together rather than this kind of vandalism," Pandya added.

    Several groups have called for the arrest of Hussain, 90, whose flowing white locks and beard, and his habit of walking barefoot have acquired an iconic status in Indian art circles. Police have said that they are investigating a complaint against Hussain after the portrayal. Nationalist politicians and activists have routinely criticised Hussain's paintings, which depict revered Hindu gods and goddesses in the nude. A decade ago, radicals even attacked his Mumbai home. The maverick artist's latest work, part of a series to be auctioned in aid of Indian victims of last year's South Asian earthquake, shows a naked woman in front of a wheel resembling the one used in the national flag. The names of some of the states are written across her body. A similar composition of a sari-clad woman with a wheel -- a Buddhist symbol known as the dharma chakra -- in the background is used to portray "Mother India" in many patriotic publications. In the past, Hussain has received support from moderate, progressive faction, and on one occasion, a former Prime Minister intervened to ensure no action was taken against him. In 2004, Hussain sealed a deal with Bombay-based businessman Guru Swarup Srivastava, to paint 100 canvases for one billion rupees, in one of the biggest sales in the country's growing art market.

Dick Cheney shoots his hunting partner  (Go To Top)

     Washington: US Vice-President Dick Cheney accidentally fired shotgun pellets at one of his hunting companions as he aimed at a quail (a kind of bird) in a ranch in Texas. The injured man, Harry Whittington, a lawyer, was reportedly out of danger and doing fine. According to The Telegraph, Cheney swung round to fire at the quail, and fired from his shotgun without realising that Whittington was there. The latter received various pellet injuries, before he was rushed to a hospital. He was said to be recovering well. A worried Cheney accompanied him to the hospital. Ranch owner Ms Katharine Armstrong said that Whittington had headed away from Cheney and one another man, and some time later he came up behind them but "did not announce himself". "Cheney didn't see him. The covey flushed and the vice-president picked out a bird and was following it and shot. And, by God, Harry was in the line of fire and got peppered pretty good," the paper quoted her as saying.

India defeat Pakistan by five wickets (Go To Top)

     Lahore: India today defeated Pakistan by five wickets to win the 3rd One Day International here in a grand style. India now lead the series 2-1 India successfully chased a mammoth total of 288 with two over remaining, even after losing early wickets and proved that Indians were not chokers when it came to chasing huge totals. India scored 289 for the loss of five wickets Wicket keeper batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni scored an unbeaten 72 of 46 balls, which included 13 fours to win the man of the match award. Yuvraj Singh scored a solid 79 out of 87 balls, which included 10 fours and remained unbeaten till the end. The duo shared a 102 run partnership for the sixth wicket turning the tide in India's favour in a match that seemed was in Pakistan's hand after India lost initial wickets. Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar provided the crucial support to the Indian batting line up scoring 95 of 104 balls, which included 16 fours and 1 six, after India lost the wickets of opener Gautam Gambhir and pace bowler Irfan Pathan who was promoted in the batting line up as a pinch hitter. Pathan departed for a duck. Skipper Rahul Dravid also departed early, scoring only 22 runs, leaving India tottering at 84 for the loss of three wickets. It was the 105 run partnership between Sachin and Yuvraj that provided some stability to the Indian innings. However, then also after Sachin's departure India was left reeling at 190/5. Rahul Dravid won the toss and decided to field in the crucial third day night match at the Gaddafi stadium here.

    Pakistan scored a huge total, making mince meat of the Indian bowling attack. Pakistan started on a shaky note, with opener Salman Butt getting out for zero, but Shoaib Malik batted sensibly scoring 108 in 120 balls, which included 11 fours, and 1 six), sharing a crucial seven-wicket partnership with Abdul Razzaq (64 of 56 balls to take Pakistan to a comfortable position. Skipper Inzamam-ul Haq could not display much skill with the willow and departed for a short 16. Kamran Akmal scored a valuable 34. Among the Indian bowlers, Pathan scalped three wickets for 49 runs, 13 of them being yielded in his tenth over. The Pakistani run machine scored 89 runs in the last ten overs of the Indian bowling attack.

England cricket team arrives on two-month tour  (Go To Top)

     Mumbai: The 16-member England cricket team arrived here today on a two month-long tour of India to play three Test and seven One-Day International (ODI) matches. The Michael Vaughan-led team, however, were in no mood to hang around at the airport when they were greeted by an army of fans amid heavy security on their arrival. Without stopping to address the media, Michael Vaughan and his teammates scurried out of the terminal through a side exit and boarded the team bus, leaving dozens of reporters and television crews disappointed. Scheduled to play three Tests and seven one-dayers besides three warm-up matches, England are being accompanied by two of their own security staff. Aiming to score a first Test series victory in India since 1984- 85, England open the tour with a three-day practice game against Board President XI in Mumbai from Saturday which will be followed by another warm-up match at Baroda from February 23.

   The first Test will start in Nagpur on March one, second on March nine at Mohali and the third and final Test will be played in Mumbai from February 18. Following the Test series, the visitors will play a one-day warm- up match on March 25 in Jaipur. The first ODI will be played at New Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla stadium on March 28, second on March 31 in Faridabad, third on April 3 in Goa, fourth on April 6 in Cochin, fifth on April 9 in Guwahati, sixth on April 12 in Jamshedpur and seventh and the final one in Indore on April 15. England Test Squad: Michael Vaughan (captain), Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard, Geraint Jones (wicketkeeper), Simon Jones, Kevin Pietersen, Liam Plunkett, Matt Prior, Andrew Strauss, Marcus Trescothick, Shaun Udal, Monty Panesar, Ian Blackwell. England One-Day Squad: Michael Vaughan (captain), Kabir Ali, James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ian Blackwell, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Ashley Giles, Steve Harmison, Geraint Jones (wicketkeeper), Simon Jones, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior, Liam Plunkett, Andrew Strauss, Marcus Trescothick.

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