A video recently surfaced on social media, capturing spectators at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad chanting "Jai Shri Ram" as Pakistan's wicket-keeper-batsman Muhammad Rizwan walked back to the pavilion after being dismissed during the India versus Pakistan World Cup match. This incident has sparked reactions from various political parties.
DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin expressed his disapproval of the behavior, labeling it as "unacceptable." He emphasized India's reputation for sportsmanship and hospitality and condemned the treatment of Pakistani players, stressing that sports should foster unity between nations and not be exploited to spread hatred.
Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale raised doubts about India's ability to host international sporting events, given the incident. He questioned whether India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, was qualified and sportsmanlike enough to host events like the 2036 Olympics. Gokhale pointed out that the stadium where this occurred is named after Narendra Modi.
On the other hand, Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia shared a video of the crowd allegedly chanting "Jai Shri Ram" in the stadium and praised the audience for their enthusiasm. BJP leader Kapil Mishra also commended the crowd and expressed his pride in them for chanting "Jai Shri Ram."
The incident involving Rizwan has generated mixed reactions on social media, with some users sharing a 2017 clip of Pakistani fans trolling Indian players to justify the behavior of the Ahmedabad crowd. Others criticized the fans' conduct, citing past instances of Indian fans demonstrating good sportsmanship towards their rivals.
In the match itself, Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav played pivotal roles in India's dominant victory over Pakistan, securing four wickets and contributing to India's eighth consecutive World Cup win against Pakistan, a streak dating back to 1992. The match saw India's bowlers taking key wickets, leading to Pakistan's collapse from 155-2 to 191 all out.
India is renowned for its sportsmanship and hospitality. However, the treatment meted out to Pakistan players at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad is unacceptable and a new low. Sports should be a unifying force between countries, fostering true brotherhood. Using it as a tool… pic.twitter.com/MJnPJsERyK
— Udhay (@Udhaystalin) October 14, 2023
PM Modi desperately wants India to host the 2036 Olympics.
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) October 15, 2023
But if this is what BJP has reduced our audiences to - where they heckle a Pakistani player with chants of Jai Shri Ram - massive doubts remain over whether we’re qualified & sporting enough to host ANY international… pic.twitter.com/8m4BgdAOFn
पूरा स्टेडियम जय श्री राम के मंत्र उच्चारण से मंत्रमुग्ध हो गया
— Gaurav Bhatia गौरव भाटिया 🇮🇳 (@gauravbhatiabjp) October 15, 2023
फिर जो आगे हुआ वो हम सबने देखा #JaiShriRam pic.twitter.com/UGTe8457A5
