AFP Asia

Pakistan will face India in the Asia Cup final for the first time after their bowlers made amends for poor batting to upstage Bangladesh in an 11-run victory on Thursday.Bangladesh fast bowler Taskin Ahmed grabbed 3-28 as Pakistan batters were sloppy on a sticky Dubai stadium pitch in their last Super Four match, managing a modest 135-8 in 20 overs.Pakistan staged a fight back through pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-17) and Haris Rauf (3-33) to keep Bangladesh down to 124-9 in 20 overs and book a place in Sunday’s showpiece against India.Shamim Hossain top-scored for Bangladesh with a 25-ball 30 and Saif Hassan scored 18.Pakistan’s second win in the Super Four stage set them up for a third encounter against archrivals India.They have lost both previous meetings with their neighbours so far in the tournament, with the two matches marred by controversy.India players refused to shake hands with Pakistan after the first game and the two sides also did not shake hands after the second.Pakistan skipper Salman Agha said he looks forward to meeting India again.”We are very excited,” said Agha. “We know what we need to do, and we are a good enough team to beat anyone, and we will come on Sunday and try to beat them.”Earlier, Taskin was well supported by spinners Rishad Hossain (2-18) and Mahedi Hasan (2-28) to keep Pakistan in check after they were sent in to bat. Pakistan lost wickets at regular intervals as Taskin removed opener Sahibzada Farhan off the fourth ball of the match for four while Hasan had Saim Ayub for his fourth duck of the tournament.Fakhar Zaman scored 13 and captain Salman Agha 19 as Pakistan tottered at 49-5.It was a seventh-wicket stand of 38 between Mohammad Haris (31) and Mohammad Nawaz (25) that helped Pakistan add 52 in the last five overs.Haris hit two boundaries and a six while Nawaz’s 15-ball knock had two sixes and a boundary.Shaheen, dropped twice by Bangladesh fielders, hit two sixes in his rapid 13-ball 19.

Indian police patrolled the northern city of Leh on Thursday, a day after protests demanding greater autonomy for the Himalayan territory of Ladakh turned deadly when security forces opened fire.At least five people were killed and about 100 wounded, including 30 police officers.The city — usually bustling with tourists — appeared deserted, with most main roads blocked by coils of razor wire and guarded by police in riot gear, an AFP reporter said.A doctor at Leh’s SNM Hospital said they had treated about 100 injured people since Wednesday, some of them police.”We have operated upon six injured people, three of them had bullet injuries and others internal bleeding in the chest and broken ribs,” said the doctor, who asked not to be identified.Protests erupted on Wednesday, with crowds demanding greater autonomy in the sparsely populated, high-altitude desert region that is home to some 300,000 people and which borders China and Pakistan.India’s Ministry of Home Affairs said that an “unruly mob” had attacked police, reporting in a statement issued late on Wednesday that “more than 30″ officers were injured.Protesters torched a police vehicle and the offices of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while officers fired tear gas and used batons to disperse crowds.”In self-defence, police had to resort to firing, in which unfortunately some casualties are reported,” the statement said. It did not give any details about deaths.However, a police officer told AFP that “five deaths were reported after the protests”. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to talk to journalists. Thinley, 33, who runs an automobile spare parts shop in Leh, was shot in the leg.”We are exhausted by the government by not listening to our demands”, Thinley, who gave only one name, told AFP from his hospital bed.Jigmet Stanzin, 23, said he was injured when he tried to throw back what he thought was a tear gas canister.”It exploded and shattered my hand,” he said.- ‘Betrayed and angry’ -A police unit guarded the vandalised BJP office on Thursday, alongside the wreckage of a burned security vehicle.Paras Pandey, 27, an Indian tourist, walked alone along the highway out of Leh with a heavy backpack, looking for a ride out.”Everything is shut. I couldn’t get food since yesterday,” Paras said. “All I could see yesterday was chaos, smoke, and broken vehicles.”Around half of Ladakh’s residents are Muslim and about 40 percent are Buddhist.It is classed as a “Union Territory” — meaning it elects lawmakers to India’s parliament but is governed directly by New Delhi.Wednesday’s demonstrations were organised in solidarity with prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on hunger strike demanding either full federal statehood for Ladakh or constitutional protections for its tribal communities, land and fragile environment.New Delhi said the protests were “instigated by his provocative speeches” and pointed out that efforts were continuing to discuss its governance.Modi’s government split Ladakh off from Indian-administered Kashmir in 2019, imposing direct rule on both.New Delhi has yet to fulfil its promise to include Ladakh in the “Sixth Schedule” of India’s constitution, which allows people to make their own laws and policies.Omar Abdullah, chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, said people in Ladakh felt “betrayed and angry”. India’s army maintains a large presence in Ladakh, which includes disputed border areas with China. Troops from the two countries clashed there in 2020, killing at least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers.

India signed a $7 billion order on Thursday for 97 domestically designed and built Tejas fighter jets as its air force retires its Russian MiG-21 fleet after decades of use.One of the world’s largest arms importers, India has made the modernisation of its forces a top priority and has made repeated pushes to boost domestic production.The order for the Tejas fighters is one of the largest in terms of the number of fighter jets ordered by India in a single shot.The first of the jets — Tejas means “brilliance” in Hindi — were commissioned into the air force in 2016, with the latest order for an upgraded version of the fighter, Mk-1A.India’s Ministry of Defence said it had “signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for procurement of 97 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A, including 68 fighters and 29 twin seaters”.HAL is a government defence company and more than 100 Indian companies were involved in the manufacturing process, the aircraft having “an indigenous content of over 64 percent”, it said.”The delivery of these aircraft would commence during 2027-28 and be completed over a period of six years,” the ministry said.New Delhi is eyeing threats from multiple nations, especially neighbouring Pakistan. India fought a four-day conflict in May, their worst clash since 1999.Both sides claimed victory, each boasting of downing the other’s fighter jets.- ‘Mainstay’ -Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in a statement the aircraft would “strengthen defence preparedness”.”This contract reflects the trust and confidence of the Government and the Armed Forces in the indigenously developed aircraft Tejas, which will be the mainstay of the IAF (Indian Air Force) in the years to come,” he said.India will hold a flypast ceremony at a major air force base in Chandigarh on Friday, the final flight of their Soviet-era MiG-21s that have been in use since the 1960s.An estimated final 36 MiGs will end their service.India inducted 874 MiG-21s overall, serving in multiple conflicts. However, they also recorded around 400 crashes that killed about 200 Indian pilots over the decades, earning the planes the “the flying coffin” moniker.Angad Singh, co-author of a book on the MiGs, said New Delhi had “originally planned” to retire the jets by the mid-1990s.However, those efforts stalled and there was “no choice” but to upgrade them to “squeeze more life out of it”, he said.India also signed a multi-billion-dollar deal in April to purchase 26 Rafale fighter jets from France’s Dassault Aviation. They will join 36 Rafale fighters already acquired.Singh said in August India was working with a French company to develop and manufacture fighter jet engines at home.That followed the announcement in May that New Delhi had approved the prototype of an upgraded Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).This decade India has opened an expansive helicopter factory, launched its first domestically made aircraft carrier, warships and submarines, and conducted a successful long-range hypersonic missile test.Its latest test was of an Agni-Prime missile with a 2,000-kilometre (1,242-mile) range on Wednesday — this time fitted on a special railway-based system.

Veteran spin great Ravichandran Ashwin on Thursday joined Sydney Thunder as the first Indian men’s international to feature in Australia’s Big Bash League.The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) does not allow any current player in Indian international or domestic cricket to feature in overseas leagues.But Ashwin retired in December during India’s Test tour of Australia and quit the Indian Premier League in August, freeing him up to be “an explorer of the game around various leagues”.”Thunder were crystal clear about how they’d use me and brave enough to back it,” said the 39-year-old in a statement. “My conversations with the leadership were excellent and we’re fully aligned on my role.”Ashwin will be available from early January, joining David Warner as Thunder bid to make back-to-back BBL finals.”I love how Dave Warner plays the game and it’s always better when your leader shares your mindset,” he added.Ashwin, who played for five IPL franchises, finished his India career with 537 wickets in 106 Tests at an average of 24.00.He also played 116 one-day and 65 Twenty20 internationals.”From the first time we spoke, Ashwin impressed everyone at the Thunder with his passion, desire to win and understanding of what makes our club special,” said Thunder general manager Trent Copeland.”He will bring an injection of fresh energy and world-class bowling mid-tournament while his presence as a leader and mentor will be invaluable for our young players.”The BBL gets under way on December 14.

Indian police patrolled the northern city of Leh on Thursday, a day after protests demanding greater autonomy for the Himalayan territory of Ladakh turned deadly when security forces opened fire.At least five people were killed, 30 police officers were injured and several more protesters wounded.The city — usually bustling with tourists — appeared deserted, with most main roads blocked by coils of razor wire and guarded by police in riot gear, an AFP reporter said.Protests erupted on Wednesday, with crowds demanding greater autonomy in the sparsely populated, high-altitude desert region that is home to some 300,000 people and which borders China and Pakistan.India’s Ministry of Home Affairs said that an “unruly mob” had attacked police, reporting in a statement issued late on Wednesday that “more than 30″ officers were injured.Protesters torched a police vehicle and the offices of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while officers fired tear gas and used batons to disperse crowds.”In self-defence, police had to resort to firing, in which unfortunately some casualties are reported,” the statement said.It did not give any details about deaths.However, a police officer told AFP that “five deaths were reported after the protests”. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to journalists. He said the “number of injured is in the dozens”.A police unit guarded the vandalised BJP office on Thursday, alongside the wreckage of a burned armoured vehicle.Around half of Ladakh’s residents are Muslim and about 40 percent are Buddhist.It is classed as a “Union Territory” — meaning it elects lawmakers to India’s parliament but is governed directly by New Delhi.Wednesday’s demonstrations were organised in solidarity with prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on hunger strike demanding either full federal statehood for Ladakh or constitutional protections for its tribal communities, land and fragile environment.New Delhi said the protesters were “instigated by his provocative speeches” and pointed out that efforts were continuing to discuss its governance.Modi’s government split Ladakh off from Indian-administered Kashmir in 2019, imposing direct rule on both.New Delhi has yet to fulfil its promise to include Ladakh in the “Sixth Schedule” of India’s constitution, which allows people to make their own laws and policies.Omar Abdullah, chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, said people in Ladakh felt “betrayed and angry”. India’s army maintains a large presence in Ladakh, which includes disputed border areas with China. Troops from the two countries clashed there in 2020, killing at least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers.

A massive spike in millions of migrants forced back into impoverished Afghanistan by Pakistan and Iran could fuel Islamic State militancy, diplomatic and security sources fear. Around 2.6 million Afghans have returned since January, including many who have spent decades abroad or who are setting foot in Afghanistan for the first time.”The risk that Islamic State Khorasan sees these newly arrived Afghans as a potential recruitment pool is high,” Hans-Jakob Schindler, a former coordinator of the UN committee monitoring militant groups, told AFP. Security in Afghanistan has vastly improved since the Taliban won their insurgency against the Nato-backed government and returned to power in 2021. However, the local branch of Islamic State — a rival jihadist group with a foothold in eastern Afghanistan — carries out periodic attacks and remains a threat to Taliban rule and the wider region. “Since August 2021, the group has continued to recruit disgruntled Taliban as well as Afghans that are not part of the new regime,” Schindler said. The UN warned in July of a “permissive environment for a range of terrorist groups… posing a serious threat to the security of Central Asian and other countries”.It said the most serious threat is from the Islamic State, with 2,000 fighters, who have carried out deadly attacks in Russia, Iran and Pakistan in the past few years.While the Pakistani Taliban, a separate but closely linked group to the Afghan Taliban, has triple the fighters, it is focused on a campaign against the Pakistan government’s security forces. Islamabad has consistently accused Afghanistan’s rulers of giving safe haven to militant groups.The Taliban government has repeatedly claimed that there are “no longer any terrorist organisations” operating in Afghanistan.- ‘Foreigners’ in their own country -The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has predicted that up to four million Afghans could return to the country by the end of the year. Upon arrival, “they face enormous challenges, without jobs, housing, or access to basic services,” notes Indrika Ratwatte, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator in the country. “They may become vulnerable to negative coping mechanisms, including exploitation by armed groups.”According to the World Bank, nearly half of Afghanistan’s 48 million people live below the poverty line, and nearly a quarter of 15-29 year-olds are unemployed. “We already know that some Afghans join terrorist groups not out of conviction, but out of ‘economic necessity,'” a European diplomatic source told AFP. Afghans who have spent decades abroad are considered outsiders when they arrive in Afghanistan, said Amina Khan of the Institute for Strategic Studies (ISSI) in Islamabad.Some will hold resentment towards Pakistan, which took away their businesses and properties. “They’re the perfect fodder for these transnational terrorist groups that are operating within the region,” she said. – ‘Ticking time bomb’ -According to Moscow, Afghanistan is home to approximately 23,000 fighters from 20 different organisations. “The greatest concern is the activity of the Afghan branch of (Islamic State)… which has training camps, mainly in the east, north, and northeast of the country,” noted Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu at the end of August. In July, a year after the Islamic State killed 149 people in a mass shooting at a Moscow music venue, Russia became the first — and only — country to recognise the Taliban government.It said the decision would boost regional security and the “fight against the threats of terrorism”.”Many foiled attacks in Europe between 2023 and 2025 have been linked back to the (Islamic State),” Schindler said.For many European countries, the “risk of a kind of ticking time bomb for Europe is real” the European diplomatic source added.The only way to stop these recruitments is to “build a dignified future” for migrants, thanks to foreign aid, argues Ratwatte. But the humanitarian sector has been lacerated by funding cuts since US President Donald Trump took power in January. 

India secured their place in the Asia Cup final on Wednesday as Abhishek Sharma starred with 75 in a comfortable 41-run win over Bangladesh in Dubai.The holders posted 168-6 batting first after stumbling following a quick start, but their spinners helped stifle Bangladesh to 127 all out.The result means Sri Lanka are out of the tournament, with Thursday’s Super Four match between Pakistan and Bangladesh to decide who faces India in Sunday’s final.Abhishek has enjoyed a remarkable start to his T20 international career with 783 runs from 22 matches at a strike-rate of 197.72.The opener set up victory with another brilliant innings, striking six sixes and five fours in his 37-ball blitz, which ended with a run-out caused by a mix-up with captain Suryakumar Yadav.”I was just doing my job,” Abhishek said.”I have told before as well that I do not think much (while going in to bat) and go with the flow. If it is in my range, even if it is the first ball, I go for it.”Both Abhishek and fellow opener Shubman Gill, who made 29, started cautiously before the two took on left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed, smashing 21 runs off the fourth over.Abhishek reached his fifty off just 25 balls after Gill fell to leg-spinner Rishad Hossain.Rishad quickly struck again with the wicket of the promoted Shivam Dube, before the dismissals of Abhishek and Suryakumar, for five off 11 balls, left India on 114-4.Hardik Pandya ensured India reached a competitive total with a 29-ball 38 with four fours and one six.Jasprit Bumrah struck first to send back opener Tanzid Hasan for one in the second over of Bangladesh’s chase, before Saif Hassan and Parvez Hossain Emon, who made 21, put on 42 runs to steady the innings.But Kuldeep Yadav dismissed Parvez and Bangladesh soon lost their way as the Indian spinners took charge.Saif, who survived four dropped catches, played a lone hand to raise Bangladesh hopes.Kuldeep struck twice with successive balls before Nasum played out the hat-trick ball.Saif finally fell in the 18th over for 69 to Bumrah and Bangladesh were bowled out in 19.3 overs.Kuldeep stood out with figures of 3-18 as the left-arm wrist spinner took his tournament tally to 12 wickets in five matches.Bangladesh were without skipper Litton Das, who was injured, and Jaker Ali stood in as captain.”We can take lots of things from this game,” said Jaker. “Let’s see what kind of combination we are going to go (in Thursday’s match) but we will give our best.”

Abdullah Abbas waded through Lahore’s flooded streets, struggling to push his motorcycle and deliver a food order on time. The water had risen to his torso, his jeans soaked and rolled up over sandals, leaving him vulnerable to electrocution and infectious diseases.Even as monsoon rains deluge Pakistan’s cities, food and grocery orders on the Singapore-based delivery platform Foodpanda pour in.”If I don’t deliver the orders, my Foodpanda account will get blocked, which would leave me without money,” Abbas told AFP in the old quarter of Lahore, known for its narrow, congested streets.”I need this money to pay my high school fees,” added the 19-year-old, who is completing his last year of secondary school. Since June, monsoon rains in Pakistan have killed more than 1,000 people, swelling major rivers and devastating rural communities along their banks.Urban centres such as Lahore, a city of more than 14 million people, and Karachi, the country’s largest city with more than 25 million people, have also suffered urban flooding in part because of poorly planned development.Abbas earns around $7 a day, above the average salary, but only when the sun is shining.To meet the average monthly pay of around $140, he was to work seven days a week for over 10 hours fitted around his studies. “Customers behave rudely and you have to handle all the stress,” added Muhammad Khan, a 23-year-old Foodpanda rider, as he carefully navigated his motorbike through Karachi’s muddy, pothole ridden roads.Pakistan, where 45 percent of people live under the poverty line, is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change, with limited resources dedicated to adaptation.- ‘Stressful’ – By the middle of August, Pakistan had already received 50 percent more monsoon rainfall than last year, according to disaster authorities, while in neighbouring India, the annual rains kill hundreds every year.While South Asia’s seasonal monsoon brings rainfall that farmers depend on, climate change is making the phenomenon more erratic.A report by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said brown water inundating city streets is not only the result of climate change but “clogged drains, inadequate solid waste disposal, poor infrastructure, encroachments, elitist housing societies.”Doctors warn that working repeatedly in damp conditions can cause fungal infections and flu, while exposure to dirty water can spread eye and skin infections.  Gig economy workers attached to delivery apps such as Foodpanda and ride hailing apps Bykea and InDrive, made up nearly two percent of Pakistan’s labour force or half a million people in 2023, according to Fairwork, a project by the University of Oxford.Fairwork rated six digital labour platforms in the country and all of them have the “minimum standards of fair work conditions”.International Labour Organization meanwhile says gig workers lack government protection and face systemic violations of international labour standards.Motorbike rider Muneer Ahmed, 38, said he quit being a chef and joined Bykea to become “his own boss”.”When it rains, customers try to take rickshaws or buses, which leaves me with no work,” said Ahmed, waiting anyway on the side of the flooded street.”Rain is a curse for the poor,” he said, watching the screen of his phone for a new customer. Daily wage labourers, often working in construction, also see their work dry up. It hs been nearly four days since labourer Zahid Masih, 44, was hired, he told AFP while taking refuge under a bridge with other masons in Karachi.”Jobs do come up, but only after the rain stops. There is no work as long as it is raining,” says the father of three.”Sitting idle at home is not an option, as our stoves won’t be lit.”

A Singapore shipping company told AFP on Tuesday it will refuse to pay Sri Lankan court-ordered damages of US$1 billion for causing that country’s worst case of environmental pollution.In an exclusive interview, X-Press Feeders chief executive Shmuel Yoskovitz said he believed paying would have wide-ranging implications on global shipping and “set a dangerous precedent”.The company operated the MV X-Press Pearl that sank off Colombo Port in June 2021 after a fire — believed caused by a nitric acid leak — that raged for nearly two weeks.Its cargo included 81 containers of hazardous goods, including acids and lead ingots, and hundreds of tonnes of plastic pellets.The ship was refused permission by ports in Qatar and India to offload the leaking nitric acid before it arrived in Sri Lankan waters. Tonnes of microplastic granules from the ship inundated an 80-kilometre (50-mile) stretch of beach along Sri Lanka’s western coast. Fishing was prohibited for months.Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court in July ordered the company to pay Colombo an “initial” US$1 billion in damages within a year, with the first tranche of US$250 million to be paid by Tuesday.It also ordered the company “to make such other and further payments” in the future as the court may direct.- ‘Hanging guillotine’ -Yoskovitz rejected the open-ended nature of the penalty. “We are not paying because the whole base of maritime trade is based on the limitation of liability. This judgment undermines this limitation of liability,” he told AFP.”Any payment towards the judgment could set a dangerous precedent for how maritime incidents will be resolved in the future,” he said.Sri Lanka’s government said it would ask its chief prosecutor what action it could take.”We will be guided by the advice of the attorney general on what further steps to take,” government spokesman and media minister Nalinda Jayatissa told reporters in Colombo.The United Nations office in Colombo noted that the “polluter pays” principle was enshrined in global agreements, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.”The Supreme Court’s ruling is a vital step toward justice and accountability,” the UN in Sri Lanka said on X.Yoskovitz said the absence of limitations could lead to higher insurance premiums, which would be ultimately passed on to consumers.The chief executive again apologised for the incident, saying the company recognised the disaster and was trying to make amends. He said X-Press Feeders had already spent $170 million to remove the wreck, clean up the seabed and beaches, and compensate affected fishermen.”We are not trying to hide… We are willing to pay more, but it has to be under certain marine conventions and an amount that is full and final and then it can be settled, and we can move on,” he said.”But to live under this hanging guillotine — it is simply impossible to operate like this.”- Long-term effects -In Colombo, Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing on Thursday about the implementation of its decision.One of the petitioners who sought compensation for the pollution has called for further research to determine the full extent of the damage to the island’s marine ecosystems.”If you visit the coastlines today, there is nothing visible in terms of plastic pollution. A major clean-up took place soon after the X-Press Pearl incident, but the effects of the pollution will be felt for a long time,” said Hemantha Withanage from the Centre for Environmental Justice.It remains unclear how Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court could enforce its decision. However, in its 361-page decision in July, the court ordered the police and the state prosecutor to initiate criminal proceedings for non-compliance if the parties were present in Sri Lanka.Yoskovitz expressed concern over the ship’s Russian captain, Vitaly Tyutkalo, who has been banned from leaving Sri Lanka for more than four years, as well as the company’s third-party agents there. The firm had offered to pay a fine for the skipper’s release, but this was refused, according to Yoskovitz. X-Press Feeders obtained an order from London’s Admiralty Court in July 2023, limiting its liability to a maximum of 19 million pounds (US$25 million), but Sri Lanka has challenged that.The Sri Lankan government also filed a lawsuit against the ship’s owners in the Singapore International Commercial Court. But that has been stayed pending the result of the case in London, with a pre-trial hearing expected in May 2026. 

Tens of thousands of mourners thronged the streets of India’s northeastern Assam state on Tuesday to bid farewell to a flamboyant artiste, celebrated as much for his music as for his irreverent persona. Zubeen Garg, 52, died by drowning in Singapore last week, triggering a massive outpouring of grief among his millions of fans in Assam, where he enjoyed a cult-like status.”He will be remembered for his rich contribution to music,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a condolence message.  “His renditions were very popular among people across all walks of life.” Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the state had “lost one of its favourite sons”.  “Zubeen’s voice had an unmatched ability to energise people and his music spoke directly to our minds and souls,” he said in a statement. “He has left a void that will never be filled.” As news of his death broke, hundreds of thousands of people poured onto the streets across the state, breaking into his popular numbers.Legions of people also turned up to pay their respects at a stadium complex in Assam’s biggest city Guwahati where his embalmed body was kept for two days.Garg was cremated on Tuesday, with full state honours and accorded a 21-gun salute. India’s parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju was also in attendance, as a representative of Modi. Assam has declared four days of state mourning, with Sarma flying to New Delhi to receive the singer’s body.His death brought the state of over 30 million people to a standstill, with businesses shuttering and the government suspending all non-emergency services. Garg, who rarely ever shied away from speaking his mind, largely eschewed the popular world of Bollywood and chose to sing primarily in Assamese and other local dialects. He was also a gifted actor, having won several accolades for his performances in Assamese cinema.He identified himself as an atheist and was a vocal critic of Hinduism’s deeply entrenched caste system.”I don’t have any caste, religion or God,” he once said, one of his many proclamations rejecting tradition.Garg is survived by his wife Garima Saikia Garg.