At the height of the pseudo-nationalism of the Lalchand Kishinchand Advani kind, a key crib pumped-up Hindus held against Muslims was that they (Muslims) cheered for Pakistan in India-Pakistan matches.
Never mind if it nobody ever saw the crackers going off or slogans being shouted, never mind if only a few Muslims in some ghetto were “guilty”… but by repeating the lie ad nauseam, the charge stuck and helped stereotype the community.
Today, NDTV 24X7 is running a news item from Calcutta on Bengalis supporting Bangladesh in the World Cup. Whether these are Bengalis in general or just Bengali Muslims in particular we can only guess, but shops are apparently doing brisk business selling the green-and-red Bangladesh jerseys.
Is this OK? Is this OK only when India is not taking part in a match or tournament? Is it OK to support Bangladesh but not OK to support Pakistan? Or does sport always transcend borders, mental if not physical, which fundamentalists of either kind will never recognise?
What about the diaspora in the countries where cricket is played? Is it all right for the first generation Indian to support India, say in England?
I for one think it’s time this nonsense of viewing a game between India and Pakistan is likened to a “war” and so on. It’s juvenile jingoism at its nauseating best.
Let those who wish to support Bangladesh go ahead. Now, we have to shift gear, it seems. From rooting for India, to backing countries from the sub-continent in the fray. Either way, we’ll win. Some small consolation this!
The terms Pseudo nationalism, pseudo secular etc need to be redefined. If Advani, according to you practised pseudo nationalism then what about the leftists and congress – which the most casteist, communal.
These news channels just indulge in hype and sensationalism, blowing it out of proportion. They need to be trashed.
Since India is out, and so is Pakistan, the only teams I’d want to root for would be Sri Lanka (because they will win the World Cup) and Bangladesh (because they remind me a lot of Sri Lanka at World Cup 1996, though with a little less experience). West Indies, if they dropped their infuriating inconsistency for a couple of weeks. Of course, Ireland because nothing gladdens the heart than a true underdog win!!!
Australia, NZ, South Africa… all great teams, but too ‘mechanical’, in their approach to the game. Something in a sport dies when talent starts getting replaced by pure fitness, aggression and speed (Tennis became unwatchable for the same reason till Federer). Hayden’s brutality is much too similar to Graeme Smith’s is much too similar to Oram’s, while all three teams put together, boast of 1.5 quality spinners. England neither play exciting sub-continental ‘style and skill’ cricket, nor the ‘power-play’ of the above three teams, and have just about beaten minnows on sheer weight of experience.
West Bengal and the Northeast are overrun by Bangladeshi migrants, most of them illegal, as several investigations have established. India has completely failed in protecting its eastern border.
The changing demographic profiles and pressure on scarce resources is already playing havoc with the economies of those states, as well as enriching local cultures to a point of transformation. Why should anyone be surprised the Bangladesh team has so many supporters there?
Bangladeshis also compose almost a third of Mumbai’s slums. Nobody seems to be bothered; we are, of course, a welcoming society.
The fact is, L.K. Advani was the only cabinet minister who even talked about the issue of illegal immigration. He has raised the issue in the Lok Sabha many times.
Most other politicians, especially the Communists in West Bengal and the Samajwadis in Mumbai, are shamelessly pandering to the illegals as vote banks.
Well said Great Mysoorean!. I completely echo your views.