Indian fast bowler Mohammad Shami was at the receiving end of online criticism after India suffered a mortifying defeat at the hands of its arch-rival Pakistan in its first T20 world cup match in Dubai. 

India had a rocky start after both its batsmen were dismissed relatively early after Pakistan won the toss and invited India to bat. The innings was then anchored by captain Virat Kohli, who along with short cameos by other players, took the team to a respectable score of 151.

Pakistani openers, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, took Pakistan off to a flying start. As dew began to set in, batting became relatively easy and Indian bowlers struggled holding on to their bowling line, often going awry and allowing Pakistani batsmen to keep the required run-rate under check. As a consequence, Pakistan was able to coast to victory quite comfortably, achieving the target in the 18th over and winning the match by 10 wickets. 

Soon after Pakistan defeated India, social media websites were replete with criticism directed against the Indian cricket team for their abject surrender to their long-standing rival. Disappointed with the match result, a raft of social media users hauled the entire team over the coals. 

Bowlers became the main target of online attack as they were not able to scalp a single Pakistani wicket. Although all Indian bowlers went for runs, Shami’s bowling figures were the worst among the lot. He conceded 43 runs at a disastrous economy rate of 11.2 in 3.5 overs, and therefore became an object of ire along with medium pacer Bhuwaneshwar Kumar and mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, both of whom looked thoroughly out of touch. 

Social media users were unsparing in their attack against the Indian cricket team, particularly against the bowlers who could not manage to pick a single wicket. However, this was the kind of opportunity leftists were desperately waiting for to propagate their Muslim victimhood narrative. As dispirited cricket fans took to social media to vent their spleen against the Indian cricket team, left-leaning liberals fell over themselves to cite stray attacks from suspicious accounts against Mohammad Shami to allege that he is targeted for being a Muslim. 

Left-leaning liberals use online criticism of Mohammad Shami to keep the Muslim victimhood narrative alive

Many left-leaning intellectuals took to Twitter to claim Mohammad Shami was subjected to Islamophobic hate and had his patriotism questioned after India lost its first T20 world cup match played against Pakistan in Dubai. 

Ever since PM Modi was elected to lead the country, the insufferable left-leaning brigade has tried to establish a narrative that Muslims are unsafe in the country. They started off by raising the “rising intolerance” bogey, then they moved to communalise lynching incidents to lend credence to their theory that India has indeed become dangerous for Muslims. Lately, they have used the imprisonment of Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan in their efforts to vilify India as anti-Muslim. The attempt to draw attention towards criticism faced by Shami for his poor bowling performance is another effort to undermine the Modi government and alleging that hatred against Muslims in India has increased.

While the alleged attack involving Shami’s religion and raising aspersions on his patriotism is unequivocally condemnable, the incident nevertheless brings to fore the appalling hypocrisy exhibited by the left-leaning intellectuals in dealing with similar attacks carried out by Islamic fundamentalists against Muslim celebrities.

The liberals display eager enthusiasm to brand disapproving comments made against Shami by fringe elements as religiously motivated but when Islamists are found abusing and threatening Muslim celebrities for celebrating Hindu festivals, no efforts are undertaken by liberals to call out the hate-mongers. 

While liberals clamour over nasty comments made by fringe elements, they turn a deaf ear to Islamists’ attacks against Muslim celebrities

For instance, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has been at the receiving end of criticism from Islamists for the last four years for celebrating Ganesha Chaturthi and installing a Ganesha idol in his home. Shah Rukh Khan was also called a “False Muslim” for sporting a Tilak and he often faces backlash for posting on Hindu Festivals. 

But, none of those who are crying hoarse today over allegedly bigoted comments made against Shami by random social media accounts—and who had also recently asserted that SRK’s son is targeted for his Muslim identity—did not condemn the attacks carried out by Islamists against SRK. 

In fact, Mohammad Shami had himself endured an egregious online attack from Islamists, who had slammed him and his daughter for celebrating her birthday. Back in January 2020, Shami was trolled by Islamists on Instagram after he posted a picture of his daughter standing at a Hindu puja ceremony with a caption, “Looking so sweet beta love you so much god bless you beta see you soon”. 

However, none of the intellectuals, who are now chomping at the bit of painting criticism directed at Shami as an attack motivated by his Muslim identity, did not even acknowledge the Islamist attack the fast bowler was subjected to, let alone denounce it. He was left to fend for himself as liberals maintained a stoic silence over the online harassment faced by the fast bowler for simply sharing his daughter’s picture at a Hindu puja. 

Similarly, former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif also came under the firing line of Islamists online after he posted a picture of himself practicing Yoga on the International Yoga Day last June. A bevy of Islamists had descended on his timeline, criticising him for warming up to Yoga and betraying his Islamic faith. Many of them suggested him that yoga is considered as ‘haram’ under Islam and that he should instead read namaz five times a day. 

Kaif and Shah Rukh Khan are not the only Muslim celebrities who have been attacked by Islamists. Former Indian fast bowler Zaheer Khan was trolled for lighting a Diya in April 2020. Irfan Pathan was trolled for sharing a photo on Rakshabandhan, stating it is against Islam. The Islamists questioned Sara Ali Khan for wishing people on Ganesh Chaturthi. Journalist Rubika Liyakat has faced attacks on social media countless times for her views. A Muslim Yoga teacher Rafia Naz has faced abused from her own community for teaching Yoga.

However, on the predictable lines, left-leaning liberals, who show an unmatched alacrity in dishing out labels of Islamophobia and brand criticism directed at Muslims as religiously motivated, find no merit in calling out Islamists who relentlessly hound Muslim celebrities for celebrating and indulging in non-Muslim festivities. 

Instead of fussing over the alleged attack against Shami, the liberals should put their money, at least for once, where their mouth is, and ignore comments made by lesser known troll accounts, just like they ignore vicious and abusive attacks made by Islamists against Muslim celebrities. 

Liberals urge Indians to disregard Pakistani interior minister’s comments while obsessing over obscure troll accounts

Earlier today, a Pakistani minister uploaded a video saying victory of Pakistan against India is akin to victory of Islam. When social media users highlighted how Pakistan is inherently a bigoted nation and how all efforts to normalise relationship with them are futile, left intellectuals, including Shekhar Gupta, had urged people to ignore such comments and not take Pakistan’s interior minister seriously.

While they ask their followers to not take an elected Pakistani official’s words seriously, they don’t mind drumming up bigoted comments made by unknown social media users against Shami and citing them to declare India as anti-Muslim.

Perhaps, this skulduggery of highlighting nasty comments made by obscure social media accounts and asking Indians to ignore vitriolic remarks made by a senior Pakistani minister, is to shield the Islamists in India who bursted crackers and broke into celebrations after Pakistan defeated India last night. Already, liberals have targeted Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir for condemning those celebrating Pakistan’s victory against India in T20 World Cup.

There have been countless incidents in the past when Pakistan’s victory over India in a cricket match has been marked with celebrations in some pockets across the country. By pointing out the alleged attacks against Mohammad Shami and thereby guilt-tripping Hindus, the liberals are probably trying to shift the focus away from the unpleasant reality of how a section of people residing in India bask in the celebrations of its defeat at the hands of its rival, Pakistan.