- Tuesday, April 22, 2025
The minister from Tamil Nadu sparked a controversy recently by criticising ‘Sanatan Dharma’ which PM Narendra Modi’s BJP viewed as an attack on Hinduism.
By: Shubham Ghosh
UDAYANIDHI Stalin, a minister in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu and son of its chief minister MK Stalin, has slammed the raising of “Jai Shri Ram” (Hail Lord Ram) slogans to mock a Pakistan cricketer during Saturday’s (14) mega World Cup 2023 clash between India and Pakistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad in the western Indian state of Gujarat.
Taking to X, Stalin said India is known for its sportsmanship and hospitality, and the treatment of the Pakistani players in Ahmedabad marked a “new low”.
“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 to spread hatred is condemnable,” he posted, along with a video of the incident.
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
Videos of spectators raising “Jai Shri Ram” slogans after Pakistan wicket-keeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan walked back into the pavilion after getting dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah. For many, it was against the spirit of the game and amounted to targeting the cricketer.
But there were also people who blamed Rizwan for the incident in Ahmedabad, pointing out his act of offering namaz (prayer) on the field and expressing solidarity with the people in war-riddled Gaza after scoring a match-winning century against Sri Lanka in the previous match in Hyderabad. According to them, it was the cricketer who brought religion to the game first.
Stalin is from Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam political party, a member of India’s opposition bloc INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance).
Last month, Stalin sparked a massive controversy in Indian politics by saying that ‘Sanatan Dharma’ (eternal religion) is against the idea of social justice and must be eradicated like diseases such as dengue and malaria. He also said ‘Sanatan Dharma’ divided people in the name of caste and religion. India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hit back at Stalin accusing him of targeting Hinduism.
The BJP did not spare the Tamil Nadu minister after his criticism of the sloganeering incident during the cricket match either. One of its leaders called Stalin a “mosquito” out to “spread poison”.
Responding to Stalin’s remark, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia posted on X in Hindi, “This hateful dengue, malaria mosquito is out to spread poison again. You don’t have a problem when a match is paused for namaz on the field. Our Lord Ram resides in every corner of the universe, so say Jai Shri Ram.”
Saket Gokhale, a parliamentarian from the opposition Trinamool Congress, also slammed the raising of the slogans to heckle the Pakistani cricketer.
Taking a dig at the BJP and prime minister Narendra Modi, he posted on X, “PM Modi desperately wants India to host the 2036 Olympics. 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 sporting event.”
Many also recalled a Test match played in Chennai in Tamil Nadu in 1999 in which the spectators gave a standing ovation to the Pakistan team led by former cricketer Wasim Akram after it narrowly beat India.
The Pakistan cricketers also received a grand welcome when they set their foot in the Indian city of Hyderabad first for the World Cup this year. While many have opined that political differences should not be allowed to ruin cricket, others have said that it is difficult to maintain good cricketing terms when Pakistan has not stopped sponsoring cross-border terrorism.
Even the Indian cricket board came under heavy criticism for arranging a musical event ahead of the India-Pakistan clash on Sunday after organising no opening ceremony for the tournament.
India beat Pakistan by seven wickets in the match to maintain their flawless record against the arch-rivals in the 50-over World Cup.
