“I’m not against the IPL but the way it is run. There is no transparency, accountability or discipline. Why doesn’t all this indiscipline happen in Test, one-day or domestic cricket matches,” Azad asked while speaking to reporters at the Ferozeshah Kotla here.

“The unfortunate part is that there is too much of politics in sports. Politicians have got into the game and spoilt it. They should look at it as sportsmanship,” he said.

“IPL, I suppose, is only entertainment … but we have money laundering; we have violation of foreign exchange; we have a player slapping another; there was a sting operation for spot fixing; rape was left… that has also come in,” he said.

“Somebody got drunk and went into the cricket ground where nobody is allowed to go after a match. This is a mix of intoxication and entertainment,” he said.

IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner and superstar Shah Rukh Khan was on Friday banned from entering Mumbai’s Wankehde Stadium for five years after his fracas with security guards and stadium officials.

On the same day, a Royal Challengers Bangalore player from Australia, Luke Pomersbach, was arrested for allegedly molesting an American woman and beating up her fiance at a New Delhi hotel.

Hopes of a happy marriage are often betrayed when demands for money and goods from the groom’s family taint the alliance and turn it into a petty transaction. Watch the Part 1 of today’s  episode.

Extortionate demands for dowry, which continue even well after the wedding is over, lead to the bride’s family becoming impoverished; and in many cases the groom does not even intend settling down with his wife. Here is present the part 2 of the show.

In case you do not wish to watch the whole show, here are few interesting snippets from today’s show.

Former cabinet minister Balwant Singh Ramoowalia says that families treat domestic servants better than they treat their daughters-in-law. He explains that there is a fashion in Punjab for grooms to demand exorbitant amounts from brides’ families in order to go abroad. In Punjab, NRIs are known as non-reliable Indians for this reason. By his estimate, there are currently some 30,000 girls in Punjab who are going through this particular type of hell.

Soon after Komal’s marriage was fixed, the boy’s parents began making demands. They wanted the wedding to be lavish, and said they did not want furniture but asked for the cash equivalent. And when the groom was about to arrive at the marriage venue, his family demanded that her parents give his father a gold chain, otherwise the wedding would not take place. Under such a threat, Komal’s parents somehow managed to fulfil even this demand.

In the US, Komal’s husband’s demands grew. He had already been given Rs 7 lakh towards the cost of a car in India, but he demanded a car in the US as well, in addition to new furniture and electronic household goods. All this, although he was in a job that paid US$ 65,000 per year.

When he demanded that the flat in which Komal’s parents were living be made in his name, she refused. At this, he started physically abusing her, holding her by the throat and pulling her by the hair, asking her every day why she would not give him the flat. On one occasion he throttled her so hard that she thought she would die, and he only released her when it seemed that she would pass out

Paramjeet was engaged and looking forward to a happy married life. But shortly after the alliance was sealed, the groom said he wanted to go to Australia to study, and wanted Paramjeet’s family to give him the money to finance this. Though the amount was wildly beyond their capacity, her family borrowed money and gave him Rs 5 lakh. He left for Australia just a week after getting married.

“The one week between the wedding and his leaving for Australia was all that Paramjeet saw of her husband. He never returned. His uncle told Paramjeet to get divorced over the internet, as he wanted to marry a woman in Australia.”

With punchy, powerful lyrics by Swanand Kirkire, composed by Ram Sampath and given voice by the mesmerizing Sona Mohapatra, Rupaiyya! is a poetic tribute to the true worth of women.

The announcement on NPCIL’s website as to the expected month of commercial operation of the first unit has now eased the mental pressure on people at KNPP as the government has been saying that the first reactor would start operations in 20 days’ time.

For a long time, NPCIL officials had been telling IANS that they could not give any tentative month for the commissioning of the first unit as it would be like pressurising the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) in giving various permissions.

Meanwhile, work on the opening of the first reactor’s pressure vessel is progressing at good pace and the dummy fuel is expected to be taken out in a week’s time, a senior NPCIL official, who did not want to be identified, told IANS.

Dummy fuel is similar to the real fuel in terms of specifications but without the enriched uranium.

A team of nuclear experts from HRID Ltd, Croatia, will then inspect the reactor pressure vessel and other systems.

According to the NCPIL official, the AERB gives its clearances in stages. After studying the data submitted post removal of the dummy fuel, the AERB would decide on giving its consent for loading the real fuel.

Following that, permission has to be sought to increase the power generation in stages till the full capacity can be reached.

According to officials, while the focus is on commissioning the first reactor, some work is being carried out for completing the second unit construction.

Click here to register Online for Sri  Amarnathji Yatra 2012

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Shiv Sena and Bajrang Dal want the pilgrimage to last 60 days starting June 3.

A VHP spokesman told reporters Saturday: “Come what may, we will start the yatra from June 3.”

SASB said the schedule of the pilgrimage was worked out after considering weather, terrain and other aspects.

It also pointed out that a growing number of pilgrims were losing their lives each year en route to the cave dedicated to Hindu god Shiva and located at 13,500 feet above sea level.

The route leading to it is highly treacherous and receives heavy snowfall.

Shiv Sena state unit chief Ashok Gupta said: “If 117 pilgrims died last year, it was the failure of the board and the government.”

The board says it is working overtime to ensure the pilgrimage begins on time. But it is facing problems due to inclement weather in the south Kashmir region.

More than 630,000 pilgrims visited the shrine last year, breaking all records. This year 150,000 pilgrims have registered themselves since May 7 when the registration opened, according to SASB sources.

“I am enjoying every second of the success of ‘Vicky Donor’, but I have not thought about a sequel to the movie,” John told reporters here Thursday. He was speaking at a Castrol Power 1 event.

“Vicky Donor” was directed by Shoojit Sircar who roped in newcomers – Ayushmann Khurrana and Yami Gautam – for the film. Annu Kapoor too played a pivotal role in it.

John is now producing a film titled, “Hamaara Bajaj”. Once again, he has roped in Sircar and Veejay-turned-actor Ayushmann for it.

He will also produce “Kala Ghoda” and “Jaffna”.

As far as acting goes, the 39-year-old will be seen in “I, Me, aur Main”, “Dostana 2″, “Shootout at Wadala” and “Race 2″.

The first season of the series is a co-production between Reliance Animation and Accel Animation Studio while the second season is between Reliance Animation and Magic N Colors.

Six times iEMMY award winning writer Jeffrey Scott has penned down the scripts for “Shaktimaan” in animation.

“It took us almost a-year-and-half in the pre-production. The greatest challenge was to decide how one should plot such an immensely popular content into animation for today’s kids and also for an entire generation of audience who will surely watch it for its nostalgic value,” said Ashish S.K, CEO of Reliance Animation and the producer of the show.

The show went on air May 7. It comes Monday to Friday at 6:30 p.m.

Commenting on Shaktimaan’s new avatar in animation, Mukesh Khanna, the original creator of the content, said: “I have been talking to Ashish since last 10 years at least from the time he first approached me with a proposition to turn ‘Shaktimaan’ into animation.”

He added said that “Shaktimaan” in animation is nothing short of magic.

“When you watch it, the first reaction that comes is ‘Wow’, is this really done in India? I think this series has given ‘Shaktimaan’ a status of immortality since that is the beauty of animation,” he added.

“The decision to set up the consulate in Thiruvananthapuram is because of the rule that consulates can be set up only in state capitals. There are certain rules and guidelines and they have to be adhered too,” Ahamed told IANS over phone from New Delhi.

The minister said the consulate would start functioning in a few months.

The news about the setting up of the consulate was announced last July when UAE’s Ambassador to India Mohamed Sultan Abdalla Al Owais met Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy here.

The new consulate will help people of the state who want to go to the UAE for work.

Currently, they have to get their documents certified by the UAE embassy and consulate in New Delhi and Mumbai, respectively.

The new consulate is also expected to boost trade between Kerala and the UAE.

More than a million people from the state live and work in the UAE, says a study by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik  and Tamil Nadu CM,  Jayalalitha proposed the name of former Lok Sabha Speaker P Sangma as the Presidential Candidate.

Sangma’s pitch for a tribal candidate found support first from Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Patnaik and AIADMK’s Jayalalitha, in a move which could see more regional leaders join hands with the two.

Sangma is, however, yet to get the support of his own Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The Congress did not react  to the BJP-AIADMK move while the BJP said it wanted to see the NCP’s reaction.

Sangma is believed to have met BJP leaders Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj to elicit their support.

“We will support Sangma. He is the most appropriate candidate for the post,” Patnaik said in Bhubaneswar.

Jayalalithaa issued a statement in Chennai backing Sangma, who quit the Congress in 1999 after accusing party president Sonia Gandhi of being a “foreigner”.

Jayalalithaa said: “The AIADMK takes pride in supporting the candidature of Sangma.”

She said in the past 60 years of the Indian republic, no tribal had held the top post. “Sangma not only belongs to a tribal community but is also eminently qualified to be the president of our great nation.”

Both Patnaik, who recently visited Chennai, and Jayalalithaa said they had discussed the issue with one another.

Sangma said he was grateful to Patnaik and Jayalalithaa for being “very responsive to our tribal aspiration”.

“I appeal to leaders of all other political parties to follow suit and support our cause,” he told NDTV.

Sangma insisted that he represented India’s tribal voice, and that tribal MPs from all political parties were with him.

Neither the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) nor the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) can get their nominee elected as president on their own strength.

The two names doing the rounds as possible Congress candidates are those of Vice President Hamid Ansari and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

Although the Congress has been in talks with the NCP, Trinamool Congress and the DMK and informally even with the Left, it has not made up its mind.

The BJP, which does not want to support a Congress candidate, has said it will reveal its preferences only after talking to its allies.

Asked about Mukherjee’s prospects, Sangma said: “He is a very highly qualified candidate for any post, even for prime minister. He should become the prime minister.”

“But like him, there are so many others who are very qualified and so many others who have occupied the post. But this time the president should be from the tribal community.”

Sangma’s entry into the race is likely to provide parties in the UPA an opportunity to bargain hard with the Congress.

The presidential election, to elect a successor to Pratibha Patil, is due in July.

“Nupur asked for permission from the prison authorities to keep the fast and perform some rituals. She was granted the permission for a half day fast and reciting Hanuman Chalisa and Bhagwad Gita,” Jail superintendent Viresh Raj Sharma said.

Under jail manual one can not observe fast as a mark of protest but her fast is concerned to religious issue which cannot be denied, Sharma said. She had also burnt a candle in the memory of her daughter last night.

Before appearing in CBI’s special court yesterday Nupur was seen doing Yoga at the prison. Demanding justice, school children in Ghaziabad and Noida also offered prayers and lit candles last night.

14-year-old Aarushi was found dead with her throat slit at her Noida residence on May 16, 2008. The body of domestic help Hemraj was recovered from the terrace a day later. A special CBI court yesterday fixed May 21 for start of arguments on framing of charges against dentist couple Nupur and Rajesh Talwar.

“A vehicle accompanying Anna’s car, carrying books and other material for his ongoing Maharashtra tour has been attacked; windows broken. Annaji is safe,” tweeted Team Anna member Kiran Bedi.

Hazare is on a five-week Maharashtra tour.

Hazare’s assistant Suresh Pathare said a group of people first threw stones and then shouted slogans in support of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.

“However, the attack was on the vehicle that we used for sale of books. Nobody is hurt. Anna and other crew are safe. Do not worry,” he said.

Nagpur police, however, denied any information about the incident.

Earlier in the day, Hazare’s convoy was shown flack flags at some places.

Hazare began his Maharashtra tour from Shirdi May 1 to create awareness on the need for a strong lokayukta legislation in the state. His tour will end June 6.