In India, the clash between the army of liberals and the right wing on social media is not a special thing. This happens every day. But now in the war between these two, the keywords of Pakistan and cricket have made it very interesting.
We are talking about former Pakistani cricketer Danish Kaneria, who recently not only got into trouble with many liberals but also with BJP leaders. But amidst all this, this cricketer has emerged as the Hindu heart emperor in India. The demand for granting them citizenship has started rising in India.
Danish Kaneria is the second Hindu cricketer in Pakistan’s cricket history. Before him, his uncle, Anil Dalpat, had also played cricket for Pakistan. Kaneria had an impressive record, taking 261 wickets in 61 Test matches with an average of 34.79.
However, his position in Pakistani cricket remained controversial. He faced severe penalties for not converting to the Muslim faith, abandoning Hinduism.
He was also found guilty of match-fixing during his time in English county cricket, resulting in a ban. All those found guilty alongside him were eventually acquitted, but he received the penalty for not being a Muslim.
In recent years, his financial situation has deteriorated significantly, and he once sought help from the PCB. Let’s see how he is transitioning into a new role as a Hindu priest in India.
Clash with BJP Leader Made Him a Hero
Indian journalist Arfa Khanum is known for writing against the BJP-RSS in the country. She expressed her displeasure on Twitter regarding the slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ during the World Cup matches upon seeing some behavior by cricket fans from Pakistan and Bangladesh.
She wrote that witnessing the inappropriate behavior of several cricket fans during the World Cup 2023 matches made her feel quite embarrassed as an Indian.
In her tweet, she held the BJP-RSS responsible for these actions. In response to Arfa Khanum’s tweet, Danesh Kaneria wrote, “If you are ashamed of being Indian, come to my country Pakistan. India doesn’t need people like you.
Up until now, everything was ordinary, but during this, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia criticized Danish Kaneria, writing, ‘Mr. Danish Kaneria, it would be good if you first take care of your home.
Arfa criticized our country, which is wrong, but our relationship isn’t defined by the religion we believe in; rather, it’s defined by our love for the country we adore, our India… Gaurav Bhatia wrote this, and it doesn’t seem to be understood as either liberal or nationalist.
This is because Arfa retweeted tweets from people all around the world who support this issue. But Gaurav Bhatia’s tweet didn’t receive much attention.
Later, Gaurav Bhatia, while criticizing Danish Kaneria, wrote that a washerman’s dog is neither a pet nor a guardian. However, soon Gaurav Bhatia found himself in a similar situation.
Liberals didn’t support him, and nationalists started criticizing him. Someone wrote that people like you will ruin the BJP, while someone wrote that Danish Kaneria is a bigger Hindu than you all.
Someone unfollowed Gaurav Bhatia, and someone wrote, ‘Memon and Dawood Ibrahim are also Indians.
Danish’s attempt to become Hindu Hriday Samrat
The discussion about Danish Kaneria continues to trend on Twitter even today. He is being hailed as a hero for preserving Hinduism in an unlikely environment in Pakistan.
In the meantime, Danish is making attempts to establish himself as a ‘Hindu Hriday Samrat’ (King of Hindu Hearts). A user asks him when he is coming to India, to which Danish replies, “Once the Ram Mandir is inaugurated.
Then, I will come for darshan.” Danish’s reactions to Indian matters sometimes make it seem like he is guided by someone in India. He actively seeks out individuals who have consistently been critical of nationalists.
He doesn’t comment on tweets by Arfa Khanam but comments on tweets by Prashant Bhushan, which are gaining popularity. Prashant Bhushan tagged Kangana Ranaut in a video, writing that Kangana was like Jhansi’s Rani (Queen of Jhansi). In the video, Kangana is seen holding a bow and arrow, but the arrow doesn’t release.
Danish takes a jibe at Prashant Bhushan for this and mentions that making fun of someone is quite easy, and at least Kangana has done some good work for the country in real life. Manikarnika is a must-watch film that has revived our feelings of patriotism and pride.
Moreover, Danish frequently mentions “Jai Shri Ram” in his tweets. He tweets photos of Lord Ram on Dussehra and includes Sanskrit shlokas in his tweets. While performing Durga Puja, he tweets photos, and he receives backlash in Pakistan but goes viral in India. He appeals to Indian cricketers to learn from him.
They continue to raise issues of harassment of Hindus in Pakistan.
In the 2023 World Cup, some former Pakistani cricketers question the reception of spectators in Ahmedabad, India.
Danish Pakistani players are targeted for their views, claiming that they were forced into religious conversion, from the dressing room to the field. Kaneria shares a video and writes that whether it’s the dressing room, the playing field, or the dining table, they were under constant pressure for conversion.
This video also shows the controversy between Pakistan player Mohammad Shahzad and Sri Lanka’s Tillakaratne Dilshan. Pakistani player Shahzad is telling Sri Lankan player Dilshan that if you convert to Islam directly from being a non-Muslim, you will be destined for heaven no matter what you do in life.
However, Dilshan also responds in a similar tone, saying that he doesn’t even like heaven… be ready for what’s next. You may recall that a few years ago, a video of Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar went viral on social media, where he said that Pakistani team players refused to eat with Danish Kaneria simply because he was a Hindu.
Has, he done this to earn from social media?
A few years ago, Danish Kaneria was in dire financial straits, struggling to make ends meet. He didn’t have enough money to cover household expenses. He once said, “My life is not in a good situation, and I’ve reached out to many people in Pakistan and around the world for solutions to my problems.
However, I didn’t receive any help, even though many of Pakistan’s cricketers have had their issues resolved. I’ve tried my best for Pakistan as a cricketer, and I take pride in that. I believe the people of Pakistan will help me.” Kaneria had even appealed to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for assistance.
Even today, he doesn’t have a means of earning money in Pakistan. It’s possible that he is resorting to Twitter and other social media platforms to gain popularity.
Currently, dozens of YouTubers in Pakistan are earning well by praising Indian figures. These Pakistani YouTubers openly praise Narendra Modi, even though they often face criticism in return.
However, they have made a name for themselves among India’s millions of YouTube viewers. Clearly, YouTube has become a significant source of income nowadays.
