Month: January 2026

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has written a to X (formerly Twitter) over “failure to observe statutory due diligence obligations” under the Information Technology Act, 2000 and other relevant laws and sought an Action Taken Report towards immediate compliance for prevention of hosting, generation and uploading of obscene, nude, indecent and sexually explicit content “through the misuse of AI-based services like ‘Grok’ and xAI’s other services”.

In a letter to the Chief Compliance Officer, X Corp, India Operations, MeitY advised the social media platform to strictly desist from the hosting, displaying, uploading, publication, transmission, storage, sharing of any content that is obscene, pornographic, vulgar, indecent, sexually explicit, paedophilic, or otherwise prohibited under any law for the time being in force in any manner whatsoever.

“Failure to observe such due diligence obligations shall result in the loss of the exemption from liability under section 79 of the IT Act, and you shall also be liable for consequential action as provided under any law including the IT Act and BNS,” the letter said.

The letter emphasised that hosting, generation, publication, transmission, sharing, or uploading ofobscene, nude, indecent, sexually explicit, vulgar, paedophilic content or any content that is invasive of another’s privacy including bodily privacy or otherwise unlawful, including through Al-enabled systems and tools, attracts serious penal consequences under multiple statutes,

“It has been reported and represented from time to time, including through public discourse and representations from various parliamentary stakeholders that certain categories of content circulating on your platform may not be in compliance with applicable laws relating to decency and obscenity. It has especially been observed that the service namely “Grok AI” developed by you and integrated and made available on the X platform, is being misused by users to create fake accounts to host, generate, publish or share obscene images or videos of women in a derogatory or vulgar manner in order to indecently denigrate them,” the letter said.

“Importantly, this is not limited to creating of fake accounts but also targets women who host or publish their images or videos, through prompts, image manipulation and synthetic outputs. Such conduct reflects a serious failure of platform-level safeguards and enforcement mechanisms, and amounts to gross misuse of artificial intelligence technologies in violation of applicable laws,” it added.

MeitY said in the letter that it is of the view that the regulatory provisions under the Information Technology Act, 2000 (“ITAct”) and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 202I (*IT Rules, 2021′) “are not being adequately adhered to by your platform, particularly in relation to obscene, indecent, vulgar, pornographic, paedophilic, or otherwise unlawful or harmful content which are potentially violative of extant laws”.

“The aforesaid acts and omissions are viewed with grave concern, as they have the effect of violating the dignity, privacy and safety of women and children, normalising sexual harassment and exploitation in digital spaces, and undermining the statutory due diligence framework applicable to intermediaries operating in India,” it added.

The Minstry asked the social media platform to immediately undertake a comprehensive technical, procedural and governance-level review of the Al-based application “Grok”, including its prompt-processing, outputgeneration (responses generated using Large Language Models (LLMs)), image handling and safety guardrails, so as to ensure that the application does not generate, promote or facilitate content which contains nudity, sexualisation, sexually explicit or otherwise unlawful content in any form.

The Ministry also asked X to enforce its user terms of service, acceptable use policies and AI usage restrictions, inciuding strong deterrent measures such as suspension, termination and other enforcement actions against violating users and accounts.

It asked the social media platform to remove or disable access, without delay, to all content already generated or disseminated in violation of applicable laws, in strict compliance with the timelines prescribed under the IT Rules, 2021,without vitiating the evidence in any manner;

‘X’ Corp has been asked to submit a detailed Action Taken Report (ATR) to the Ministry at the earliest and in any case not later than seventy-two (72) hours from the date of issuance of the letter covering “specific technical and organisational measures adopted or proposed in relation to the Grok application; role and oversight exercised by the Chief Compliance Officer; aotions taken against offending content, users and accounts; and . mechanisms put in place to ensure compliance with the mandatory reporting requirement under section 33 of the BNSS”.

Earlier on Thursday, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi wrote to Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, raising concerns over the alleged misuse of artificial intelligence tools on social media platforms to post objectionable images of women using fake accounts.

She said such practices amount to a serious breach of women’s privacy and urged the Centre to take urgent steps to safeguard their rights.

“I wanted to bring to your urgent attention and urgent intervention on a new trend that has emerged on social media, especially on X, by misusing their Al Grok feature where men are using fake accounts to post women’s photos and pushing out prompts to Grok to minimise their clothing and sexualise them. It is not just limited to sharing photos through fake accounts but are also targeting women who post their own photos. This is unacceptable and a gross misuse of an AI function,” she said.

“What is worse is that Grok is enabling this behaviour by adhering to such requests. This is a breach of women’s right to privacy as well as unauthorised use of their pictures, which is not just unethical but also criminal,” she added.

Priyanka Chaturvedi had urged the Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology to take decisive action against the social media platform and to implement safeguards in AI-driven tools to ensure women’s safety online. (ANI)

Gold will continue to shine, prices are expected to make new highs in 2026, driven by central bank buying, Fed rate cuts, a weaker dollar, concerns about the Fed’s independence, and ETF buying, noted ING’s Commodities Outlook 2026.

“Central banks are still buying, Trump’s trade war is ongoing, geopolitical risks remain elevated, and ETF holdings continue to expand while expectations of more Fed rate cuts intensify, suggesting this bull run still has further to go. We see prices averaging $4,325/oz in 2026,” the report noted.

According to the outlook, President Trump’s pick for Fed chair is expected to push for lower interest rates, benefiting gold. Central banks too continue to be a key driver of gold demand, with many institutions adding to their gold reserves in recent months. In the third quarter of 2025, central banks bought an estimated 220 tonnes of gold, a 28% increase from the second quarter.

Poland, China, and Kazakhstan have been among the most active buyers, with Poland’s central bank resuming purchases after a five-month pause

“Central banks’ appetite for gold is driven by concerns from countries about Russian-style sanctions on their foreign assets in the wake of decisions made by the US and Europe to freeze Russian assets, as well as shifting strategies on currency reserves.”, the report further said.

Investment demand for gold has also been a powerful force, with gold-backed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) seeing significant inflows in recent months. “Gold ETF investors added 222 tonnes, taking global holdings within reach of their November 2020 all-time high.”, the report added.

Silver, often nicknamed “gold on steroids”, made new highs in 2025, due to “persistent supply deficit, strong industrial demand thanks to solar – one of the metal’s primary uses, EVs and electronics, and renewed investment flows into silver as a cheaper alternative to gold.”

On the supply side, silver is facing another year of deficits, extending the multi-year trend of tightening physical balances. This year will mark the fifth consecutive year of deficits.

“We expect silver prices to remain well-supported amid the combination of resilient industrial demand, constrained supply growth, and a more favourable macro environment. We see prices averaging $55/oz in 2026”, the report stated. (ANI)

Congress leaders on Friday raised questions over the credibility of a recent survey on voter trust in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in Karnataka.

Priyank Kharge, Congress leader, took to X to allege that the survey, commissioned by the Election Commission through the State Chief Electoral Officer, was conducted by an individual associated with the Prime Minister’s Office.

Kharge highlighted that the survey covered only 50 respondents per Assembly constituency, making it statistically weak and prone to wide sampling errors and selection bias, thus rendering it unsuitable for drawing meaningful conclusions.

“Survey commissioned by the Election Commission through State Chief Electoral Officer. Survey conducted by a Modi’s man who works in the PMO and has authored a lavish tribute to the PM. Survey conducted in May 2025. Detailed Vote Chori expose by the Congress came out in August 2025. Survey covered only 50 respondents per Assembly. Statistically weak, prone to wide sampling error and selection bias and not suitable for drawing conclusions,” he posted on X.

“The BJP is falsely peddling the survey as a ‘State Government survey.’ Interestingly, the party has remained silent on the Aland Vote Chori chargesheet, which has named a former BJP MLA as A1,” Kharge added.

Similarly, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate questioned the impartiality of the survey, which was reportedly conducted by the NGO Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement (GRAAM), founded by Balasubramaniam, who is linked to the Prime Minister’s Office. Shrinate noted that Balasubramaniam had authored a laudatory book on the Prime Minister in 2024, raising concerns about the neutrality of the survey.

“The headline claimed that people trust the EVMs and the Election Commission, but the key details within the article were suppressed. The survey in question was carried out in May 2025, but Rahul Gandhi’s expose on alleged vote rigging came only in August 2025. Given the agency’s affiliations, how impartial could the survey truly be?” she said.

Earlier, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla in a post on X on Friday referred to a media article to claim that a statewide survey published by in Karnataka had shown most citizens trust India’s electoral process and electronic voting machines (EVMs).

The survey found that 84.55% of respondents believe elections in India are conducted freely and fairly, while 83.61% expressed trust in EVMs. Confidence in EVMs has risen from 77.9% in 2023 to 83.61% now, indicating growing public faith in the integrity of the voting system. (ANI)

Veteran lyricist and writer Javed Akhtar has strongly condemned an AI-generated fake video circulating on social media, calling it misleading and warning “to report this to the cyber police”.

Expressing his displeasure, Akhtar warned that strict legal action would be taken against those involved in generating and sharing the fake content.

“A fake video is in circulation showing my fake computer generated picture with a topi on my head claiming that ultimately I have turned to God. It is rubbish . I am seriously considering to report this to the cyber police and ultimately dragged the person responsible for this fake news and those few who forward it to the court for damaging my reputation and credibility,” he wrote on X.

The incident has once again highlighted growing concerns over the misuse of artificial intelligence, especially the increasing difficulty in distinguishing between authentic and manipulated content online. Because of their visibility, celebrities often become easy targets for such digital misuse.

Recently, actor Bhagyashree has reflected on the growing trend of Artificial Intelligence, especially with its impact on the celebrity culture and social media. Speaking to ANI, the actor opened up on how both celebrities and the common people easily become targets of AI.”There are some things that we don’t say, but AI can make that happen by bringing modulations to lip-syncs. It is fine as far as AI is being used for marketing and for the betterment, but this thing is very harmful. It is very difficult to differentiate between right and wrong,” Bhagyashree said.

The actor highlighted how people are often misguided by the AI-generated content on the internet.

“How can a common man detect it? We are in this field, and we are aware that such things are enhanced by AI or digitally. We are still not able to detect it,” she added.

Bhagyashree has voiced her concerns at a time when a number of celebrities have been subjected to deepfake content and misuse of Artificial Intelligence.

Actress Sreeleela also spoke out against the same, calling on social media users to act responsibly and not support AI-generated material that violates personal dignity. On Instagram, the actress shared a strong message raising awareness, “I put my hands together and request every social media user not to support AI-generated nonsense. There is a difference between using and abusing technology. Advancements in technology are meant to simplify life, not complicate it, in my opinion,” she wrote. Highlighting the broader impact of such misuse, Sreeleela emphasised the importance of respect and safety for women across professions.

On the other hand, several celebrities have also come forward to seek legal protection for their personality rights, including the likes of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Nagarjuna and Karan Johar. (ANI)

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Firday said that he has ordered an enquiry into the clash outside BJP MLA G Janardhana Reddy’s residence in Ballari, in which one person was killed.

Speaking to the reporters G Parameshwara said, “They pelted stones at each other, and one person died in the clash. I have ordered an inquiry…I was told that 11 people have been registered in the charge sheet and some people have been arrested. So once the complete report comes, I’ll be able to share the exact information with the media.”

Supporters of Congress MLA Nara Bharath Reddy and Bharatiya Janata Party MLA G Janardhana clashed outside the latter’s residence in Ballari over putting up of banners for an upcoming event to install the Valmiki statue on January 3. Two groups got involved in hand-to-hand combat and stone-pelting, and later firing, prompting police to lathi-charge to disperse the crowd, police said.

Meanwhile, BJP MLA BY Vijayendra blamed Congress MLA Bharath Reddy over the incident and said that there’s no fear of the police department.

“Bharath Reddy and his supporters had created a ruckus near the house of MLA Janardhan Reddy. Unwanted situation was created. The way the incident took place clearly indicates that there’s no fear for police department. Police stations have become Congress offices. BJP strongly condemn this goondaism by local MLA Bharath Reddy,” he said.

SP Ballari said that the shots were fired from a private weapon. The police have registered four cases on the charges of murder, attempt to murder, offence against SC-ST, and a suo-moto case against all the people involved in the riot.

“So far, it appears that the bullet was fired from a private weapon. A total of four cases have been filed, one murder case, one attempt to murder, one SC-ST case and one suo motto case filed by the police against all the people involved in the riot,” SP Ranjith kumar Bandaru said.

Karnataka Assembly Leader of Opposition R Ashoka said that the clash was a “pre-planned conspiracy” to murder BJP MLA.

“A group gathered and came and put up banners inside the compound of Janardhan Reddy’s house. What fault is there on the part of Janardhan Reddy in this? They themselves fired the shots, they themselves committed the murder, and now blaming Janardhan Reddy is unforgivable. There was a pre-planned conspiracy to attack Janardhan Reddy and murder him,” he said.

“It is clear who fired the shot. They are now calling it a misfire. If it had happened from Janardhan Reddy’s side, would they have written it as a misfire? There has been pressure from above to write it as a misfire,” he added. (ANI)

After newly sworn in Mayor of New York Zohran Mamdani wrote a letter of support to Umar Khalid, an accused in the North East Delhi riots larger Conspiracy case, eight U.S. lawmakers have now written a letter urging the Indian Government to grant Khalid a fair trial as per international law.

Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee and Co-chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, Democrat Jim McGovern, who represents the 2nd District of Massachusetts, and seven other lawmakers penned the letter addressed to India’s Ambassador to the US-Vinay Kwatra.

As per the letter, McGovern and others had met Umar Khalid’s parents earlier in December.

In a post on X, McGovern said, earlier this month, I met with the parents of Umar Khalid, who has been jailed in India for over 5 years without trial. Representative Raskin and I are leading our colleagues to urge that he be granted bail and a fair, timely trial in accordance with international law.”

In the letter the US Lawmakers say, “Umar Khalid has been detained without bail for 5 years under UAPA, which independent human rights experts have warned may contravene international standards of equality before the law, due process and proportionality…India must uphold the rights of individuals to receive a trial with reasonable time or to be release and be presume innocent until proven guilty…We request that your government share steps taken to ensure that judicial proceedings against Khali and co-accused who remain in detention comport with international standard.”

Others who signed the letter are, Congressman Jamie Raskin, Senator Chris Van Hollen, Senator Peter Welch, Congresswoman Pramila Jaypal, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, Congressman Jan Schakowsky and Congressman Llyod Doggett.

The letter follows another message from Zohran Mamdani penned a note remembering Khalid and his meeting with Khalid’s parents. The note was shared on social media by Khalid’s partner Banojyotsna. Mamdani was sworn in as New York Mayor on Thursday

In the note Mamdani said, “I think of your words on bitterness often, and the importance of not letting it consume one’s self. It was a pleasure to meet your parents. We are all thinking of you.”

Recently the Karkardooma Court in Delhi had granted provisional bail to Umar Khalid to attend his sister’s wedding. Khalid’s sister Ayesha Fatima Syeda got married on December 27 and he was granted interim bail from December 16 to December 29.

Umar Khalid has been charge-sheeted in the riots conspiracy case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). His bail plea is pending before the Supreme Court. (ANI)

Delhi woke up to a thick blanket of smog and dense fog on Friday, leading to sharply reduced visibility across several parts of the national capital, even as Republic Day rehearsals continued at India Gate amid challenging conditions.

Drone visuals from Sarai Kale Khan captured low visibility early in the morning around 7:15 am, while ground visuals from areas near AIIMS, Akshardham Temple and other parts of the city showed roads, buildings and traffic shrouded in fog and smog. The cold wave conditions further intensified the impact, disrupting normal morning movement in several localities.

Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘very poor’ category on the second day of the New Year 2026. According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 348 at around 8:00 am, placing it on the borderline of the ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’ category.

Several air quality monitoring stations across the capital reported alarming pollution levels. Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 348, R.K. Puram stood at 319, Rohini logged 315, and Mundka reported 324. Chandni Chowk registered an AQI of 340, while ITO stood at 292. Bawana recorded 227, and IGI Airport reported an AQI of 219, indicating poor to very poor air quality across most parts of the city.

Despite the deteriorating air quality and reduced visibility, Republic Day rehearsals continued at India Gate. A layer of smog blurred visibility in the area, but security personnel and parade participants were seen carrying on with preparations for the upcoming national celebrations.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Delhi recorded a temperature of around 11 degrees Celsius on Friday morning. Very dense fog was observed during the early hours, with a thick layer expected to persist through the day. Weather conditions are likely to improve from Saturday.

According to IMD, Delhi’s maximum and minimum temperatures on Friday are expected to range from 15°C to 17°C and from 9°C to 11°C, respectively. While minimum temperatures are likely to remain 2°C to 4°C above normal, maximum temperatures are expected to stay appreciably below normal. (ANI)

Gabbar Lashkari, a resident of Bhagirathpura in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore, narrated the troubles his family has faced amid the water contamination crisis that has claimed at least four lives, saying that people in the area have lost trust in water provided by the municipal corporation and are now forced to buy drinking water.

Speaking to ANI, Lashkari said, “We had been complaining about dirty water for many days, but no one was listening. My daughter Kanak Lashkari is 15 years old and is admitted to the hospital. My mother is 93 years old. She fell ill on the 24th. She has been treated and is now fine.”

“Now we buy water to drink and for other uses. We take water from the government borewell. Municipal corporation tankers are supplying drinking water, but we are now scared to drink it. We no longer trust it. In the name of development, destruction is being done,” he added.

The chaos over the contaminated water crisis in Indore’s Bhagirathpura has claimed at least four lives and left several ill.

Another resident, Durgadas Maurya, however, said that the municipal corporation supplies drinking water through tankers in the morning, while water for other uses is provided from a government borewell. “This water is clean,” he said.

Meanwhile, in an emotional attempt to save their mother-in-law, a daughter and a daughter-in-law confronted local councillor Kamal Waghela and later ran after Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya’s car, but the minister’s convoy did not stop.

Pinky Yadav said, “My mother, Ramlali Yadav, is admitted to the hospital. Her condition is serious. No one is listening to us.”

Daughter-in-law Nidhi Yadav said, “Everyone in our house has fallen ill due to dirty water. The government is giving Rs 2 lakh, but that will not bring our mother-in-law back.”

Speaking to ANI, local councillor Kamal Waghela said, “From the day people started falling ill, we have been supplying Narmada water through tankers every morning. People were scared, so we arranged water from another tank and distributed it. It will take time for people’s trust to return. When I won the election three years ago, I had demanded that the drainage and Narmada pipeline infrastructure be changed.

Here, the drainage line is above, and the Narmada water pipeline is below. As a result, the Narmada pipeline has corroded.”

“The responsibility of the Narmada water lies with municipal officer Sanjeev Shrivastava. Even though the tender for the new pipeline had been completed, he had stopped work for six months. Officers do not work quickly. It has been six days, but the reason behind the mixing of drainage and Narmada water has still not been found,” he added.

Earlier, Indore Collector Shivam Verma said the initial report suggests water contamination, while authorities continue to assess the situation on the ground.

“The initial report indicates that the water is contaminated, but we are gathering more information. We have admitted 13 patients. Our survey team is going door-to-door to check for symptoms among people. We are distributing chlorine tablets everywhere,” Verma said.

He added that the situation is being closely monitored.

“Currently, a total of 201 patients are admitted, combining both private and government facilities, and a total of 71 people have been discharged. The number of patients has decreased, but we are keeping an eye on the situation, and whoever is found infected is being treated,” he said.

Verma further stated that the state government has assured full support to the affectd families.

“As per the Chief Minister’s instructions, free treatment will be provided to the victims, and if they have deposited any money, it will be refunded,” he added.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of the incident following reports of multiple deaths linked to contaminated water in the area.

“Reportedly, the residents had been complaining about the supply of contaminated water for several days, but the authorities took no action,” the NHRC said in a statement, seeking a detailed report from the Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary within two weeks. (ANI)

Transport Canada has flagged a serious safety concern involving Air India, after a complaint by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) alleged that an Air India captain was under the influence of alcohol before duty at Vancouver airport.

In a letter dated December 24, 2025, addressed to senior Air India officials, Transport Canada stated that the incident occurred on Flight AI186 from Vancouver (CYVR) to Vienna (LOWW) on December 23, 2025.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) informed authorities that “Captain Saurabh Kumar reported for duty on Air India flight AI186 on December 23, 2025, while under the influence of alcohol, and unfit for duty”.

The letter further states, “Two breathalyser tests conducted by the RCMP at Vancouver International Airport confirmed this, after he was advised to leave the aircraft.”

Transport Canada said the incident amounts to a violation of Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs). It noted that the case involves a breach of CARs 602.02 and CARs 602.03, as well as conditions outlined in Air India’s Foreign Air Operator Certificate (FAOC).

Transport Canada added, “It is likely that enforcement action will be pursued by the RCMP, and by TCCA.”

The Canadian aviation authority has asked Air India to take corrective steps.

Air India has been asked to submit its response by January 26, detailing the findings and measures taken.

A day earlier, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a show-cause notice to an Air India pilot amid safety concerns on flights AI-358 and AI-357, pertaining to aircraft dispatch, Minimum Equipment List (MEL) compliance, and flight crew decision-making.DGCA, in its notice, said that the pilot accepted the aircraft despite repeated snags and system degradation.

The civil aviation authority noted that there was a smell of smoke reported near a door in the AI-358 flight.

DGCA in the show cause notice said, “Whereas, it has been observed that M/s Air India Limited, during the operation of Flight AI-358 (and related operations of AI-357), serious safety concerns arose pertaining to aircraft dispatch, Minimum Equipment List (MEL) compliance, and flight crew decision-making.” (ANI)

Congress MP Manickam Tagore strongly condemned the ‘traitor’ remarks made against Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, calling the comments an “attack on India’s pluralism” while saying that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) should stop “poisoning society”.

Taking to X, Tagore on Thursday said, “Calling Superstar Shah Rukh Khan a ‘traitor’ is an attack on India’s pluralism. Hate cannot define nationalism. RSS must stop poisoning society.”

This comes after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sangeet Som labelled Shah Rukh Khan a “traitor” over the inclusion of Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman in the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad.

Amid the mounting controversy over the selection of the Bangladeshi player, Som accused the actor of investing money in players from a country he claimed was “working against India”.

“The way Hindus are being persecuted in Bangladesh, women and girls are being raped, their homes are being burned, and anti-India slogans are being chanted there. Despite all this, traitors like Shah Rukh Khan, I’m calling him a traitor because everything he has is given by India, given by the people of India, but where do they invest this money? They invest it in players from a country that is working against India,” Som told ANI.

He further added, “I want to tell people like Shah Rukh Khan that they will not succeed. At any cost, they will not be able to get Mustafizur Rahman to play here. Rahman won’t be able to step outside the airport.”

Som said, “People like Shah Rukh Khan are traitors; they eat in India and sing praises of Pakistan and Bangladesh.”

Meanwhile, Hindu spiritual leader Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya also targeted the actor.

“He (Shah Rukh Khan) is not a hero. Shah Rukh Khan does not have a character. His actions have been those of a traitor,” Rambhadracharya said.

Spiritual leader Devkinandan Thakur also criticised the decision, citing alleged atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh.

“In Bangladesh, Hindus are being brutally murdered, their homes are being burned, and their sisters and daughters are being raped. After witnessing such brutal killings, how can someone be so heartless, especially someone who calls himself the owner of a team? How can he be so cruel as to include a cricketer from that very country in his team?” Thakur said. (ANI)