- Saturday, April 20, 2024
By: Shubham Ghosh
SOCIAL media was outraged over the weekend over rape threats issued to the infant daughter of India captain Virat Kohli after he came out in support of Mohammed Shami, who was horribly abused online after having failed to deliver against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup game on October 24.
Shami, who belongs to India’s minority community, was called a “traitor” and even told to “go back to Pakistan” even though Kohli said that the entire team was outplayed by the arch-rivals on the day. None of the Indian bowlers managed to pick a wicket as Pakistan won the game by 10 wickets. Shami was, however, the most expensive bowler as he conceded 43 runs in 3.5 overs.
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Kohli came out strongly in support of Shami calling the abusers “a bunch of spineless people” for bullying the fast bowler on the basis of religion.
“Here’s a good reason why we are playing on the field, and not a bunch of spineless people on social media that have no courage to actually speak to any individual in person,” Kohli had said.
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Immediately after his statement, online trolls targeted him and even his nine-month-old daughter Vamika was not spared. Some even issued rape threats to her.
Several social-media users strongly objected to the attack on Kohli’s daughter. One said she was “disgusted and horrified” to see such things.
She said, “I am disgusted & horrified to read Anushka Sharma, Virat Kohli’s 10-month-old daughter Vamika[,] getting rape threats — [over a] game of cricket & for standing up for Muslim team mate[.] @iamsrk boy Aryan bit of consumption & they want to lock him up. THIS IS INDIA FOR YOU I AM ASHAMED.”
Another user said, “It has become a social pandemic in today’s world, which is so unfortunate and so sad to see because this is literally the lowest level of human potential that one can operate at. And that’s how I look at these people.”
Things became no better for Kohli later on Sunday as his team faced its second defeat of the tournament, losing to New Zealand in yet-another lops-sided match by eight wickets. The defeat pushed India close to elimination and social media was abuzz with criticism of Team India.
