Chennai: Following the ill-treatment faced by the Pakistan cricket team after the India-Pakistan match at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 14 from Indian fans, Tamil Nadu Congress General Secretary Dhivya Marunthiah expressed her wish for Pakistan’s win in the ICC World Cup 2023.
In a video, the Indian fans can be seen booing Pakistan cricketers by chanting the ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan which invited criticism from opposition parties. T
Disgusted over the immature gesture, Dhivya Marunthiah took to X to post an old picture of the saffron supporters with the BJP flag at the 2023 World Test Championship (WTC) final between India and New Zealand at The Oval in London, lamenting that the nation is lost to religious extremists.
"Remember this?! Ok. This country is lost to the religious extremists.
"I really really hope PAK will win this World Cup. JaiShriRam,” her X tweet read.
However, Marunthiah's tweet faced immediate backlash from netizens. Simultaneously, the BJP found itself under scrutiny for the hostile treatment meted out to the Pakistan cricket team during their clash against India at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 14.
Videos circulating on social media depicted Indian spectators chanting "Jai Shri Ram" and booing Pakistani players, including captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper Muhammad Rizwan. The BCCI, led by secretary Jay Shah, who is the son of BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, also came under fire for the alleged lack of support for the visiting team.
Criticism extended beyond social media, with opposition leaders and Pakistani fans expressing discontent with the treatment of the players. Pakistan team director Mickey Arthur criticized the tournament organizers for the perceived lack of support in the stadium during the match.