Why Indian politicians get angry over Shahid Afridi’s praise of Rahul Gandhi ?
Former Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi’s recent statement has ignited a political debate in India, in which he criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) while praising Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, after which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reacted strongly.
According to Hindustan.com, the BJP said that those who are against India are praising Rahul Gandhi, and this statement was termed as an anti-national stance. BJP spokesperson Shahzad Poonawalla said, ‘After Hafiz Saeed, now Shahid Afridi is praising Rahul Gandhi. No wonder, anyone who is hostile to India joins Rahul Gandhi in Congress.’
BJP IT department head Amit Malviya said, ‘Hindu enemy Shahid Afridi, who dreams of including Kashmir in Pakistan, is suddenly praising Rahul Gandhi.’ Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said, ‘Rahul Gandhi has always been beloved by Pakistan, Shahid Afridi, and the people of Pakistan can make him their leader.’
It may be recalled that while talking to a private channel, Afridi had said, ‘This (Indian) government plays the religious card of Hindus and Muslims to remain in power. This is a very bad idea. Rahul Gandhi’s thinking is very positive; he believes in talks and wants to move matters forward through dialogue.
Shahid Afridi’s statement has added fuel to the fire in India, increasing political tensions, and a war of words is going on between the BJP and the Congress. The issue has become a topic of discussion not only in politics but also in public debates, where social media users are active on the positions of both sides.
