The International Cricket Council (ICC) imposed 30 per cent match fee fines on Team India captain Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan bowler Haris Rauf for their conduct during the India-Pakistan match on Sunday in Asia Cup. It also reprimanded Pakistani opener Sahibzada Farhan for his AK-47 gesture after scoring his fifty.
During back-to-back hearings overseen by match referee Richie Richardson, Farhan claimed that since he was a Pathan hailing from Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa, he celebrated his fifty in the traditional Pashtun way and it carried no political connotation.
In his defence, Haris Rauf claimed his gesture had no political motive and it had nothing to do with India-Pakistan bilateral tension. The ICC did not accept his clarification and imposed a 30 pc match fee fine.
On Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav expressing solidarity with the victims of Pahalgam terror attack and praising the Indian army for Operation Sindoor, the ICC concluded that it “potentially harmed the image of the sport” and a 30 pc match fee deduction was ordered.
Now let me make my point. Farhan knew exactly what he was doing by making a gun-fire gesture. Rauf knew well what he wanted to convey by mimicking a plane crash in the stands.
There is no point giving lame excuses before the ICC enquiry committee. The world noticed what both these Pakistani cricketers did.
These players must know that they were playing for their country at an international sports event. They were not doing some sort of ‘mujra’ or dance at anybody’s wedding. To claim that what they were doing were celebratory gestures is a plain lie.
I think the ICC has let the both players off easily. More severe punishment should have been awarded.
“I Love Mohammed” controversy : Do not trust rumours
Attempts were made to disturb communal peace in some cities of India after Friday afternoon prayers by some mischievous elements. In one or two places, some maulanas made vitriolic attacks, while in most of the mosques, the maulanas handled the situation properly.
The controversy began with “I Love Mohammed” posters. The city kazi of Kanpur Abdul Quddus Hadi Saheb has said, he has read the FIR relating to the poster and appealed to Muslims not to listen to rumours about anybody being arrested for the poster. He appealed to the youths to maintain peace.
In Beed, Maharashtra, a maulana threatened to bury UP CM Yogi Adityanath alive, while in Bareilly, UP Maulana Tauqir Raza incited youths and asked them to come out on the streets after Friday prayers.
Maulana Tauqir Raza had asked people to assemble outside Badi Masjid after Friday prayers and carry “I Love Mohammed” placards. Thousands gathered outside the mosque and started chating provocative slogans. Stoning began and police had to resort to lathi charge to disperse the crowd.
The situation was brought under control within two hours. There were thousands of footwears lying scattered on the streets. Several police vehicles were stoned and police is now trying to nab the mischief makers with the help of CCTV footage.
DIG Police, Bareilly, Ajay Kumar Sahni said, the manner in which violence broke out clearly showed a pre-planned plot. He promised to nab the conspirators soon.
Whatever happened in Bareilly was not a coincidence, it was an experiment. Maulana Tauqir Raza has a questionable background. He spews venom whenever he delivers his sermons and speeches.
His only motive is to incite Muslims. He had done this earlier too and later apologized for his act. It seems he has not changed his colour.
The Kanpur controversy about ‘I Love Mohammed’ poster has been clarified by the city kazi who has said that the FIR was not against those who displayed the banner, but against those who tore it up.
In a communally surcharged atmosphere, rumours spread fast and because of such misinformation, there were incidents of arson in Gujarat and violence in Ujjain, Indore, Bhopal, Bareilly, Lucknow and Beed. But nobody tried to verify the facts.
In Beed, Maulana Ashfaq Nisar Sheikh, while addressing a crowd of several thousand people, vowed to bury Yogi Adityanath alive. He challenged the UP CM to come to Beed and try to remove “I Love Mohammed” banners. Police lodged an FIR against him, and later the maulana, who had gone underground, was taken into custody.
The chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, Mumbai, Maulana Siraj Khan has demanded action against people who are trying to disturb communal brotherhood.
Noted Shia Maulana Kalbe Jawwad said, no true Muslim can utter such remarks against Yogi Adityanath.
Let me make this clear. Every Muslim has the freedom to say “I Love Mohammed”. Every person has the right to follow his or her faith. Problem arises when baseless rumours are spread through social media, and people, without verifying messages, start believing them.
There is one link common between Kanpur, Bareilly and Beed. Yogi Adityanath is being made the target. The motive of those trying to fan communal sentinments is clear.
One can criticize Yogi’s policies, but to threaten to “bury him alive” is not acceptable. There is no place for such remarks in a democracy.