A letter to Shahid Afridi from his Indian Fan CHALUKYAN G
It is very least expected that you might read this. But, in the hope that people will read this because of your name, I am writing this. I used to like you before too, I knew many humanitarian services you do to people through your foundation but I got to know you much more deeper last year. I need to draw a comparison now to write this. As usual, as a ‘Indian’, let me bring in India and Pakistan here. It was in 2016 Kashmir uprising I found the difference between Sehwag and you (Afridi). I don't follow Indian cricket much, being aware of its Brahminical selection policies. It disgusts me. Coming back to 2016, where hundred plus Kashmiri civilians and kids were shot dead and thousands partially or fully blinded, which could be termed as World’s first Mass Blinding (For example, One of the thousand children blinded was Inshah Malik ), Sehwag tweeted from his official Twitter account calling for a genocide on Kashmiris and praised the gross human rights abuses by Indian Armed Forces stationed in Kashmir. Whereas, You (Afridi) tweeted in favour of peace and against war. I’m not sure of the exact words of both of you as there are too many tweets to scroll now. I’m working in night shifts, so I need to sleep. But not before abusing you now. Using one’s privileges, what a person does matters a lot. Coming back to this day (16th June, 2017), in yesterday's cricket match (as I said I don’t follow cricket, I’m not sure of the names), between Bangladesh and India, Sehwag not only limited himself to his ugly Brahminist-nationalism but also spewed some dirty words in his own forte, that is in cricket. He had tweeted something in Hindi in which he mentioned Bangladeshis as grandsons and Pakistanis as sons who will, meet India, the father, in finals coming Sunday. Obviously in abusive local flavour of his own language. Then I had to see your (Afridi's) tweet where you congratulated the good play by India and waiting for the finals (between Pakistan and India). It is humans who make nations. And especially, humans with power and privilege. You have a privilege and you use it so well. I don’t have enough words to abuse you with more love my dear. Love you for your heart and a sane mind, Lala. A lot of love from Chennai. Why I mention Chennai is, there are more people like me here, in my state Tamil Nadu. And I guess, we were the first ones in India to protest against the atrocities and war crimes of Indian Armed forces in Kashmir. For example, a non-electoral political organisation called May 17 Movement and few others together organised a protest ( Video here ). I’m proud to be part of this section of humans in India who don’t need war. I’m proud to be that one person whose tears could cross his eye boundaries that doesn’t see borders. Oh! I’m just typing my emotions out. Sorry. Coming back to abusing you, let me take you two-three days behind from today. A village in Kashmir, Kulgam, was brutalised where shops, cars and houses were smashed and people were beaten up by Indian army for celebrating Pakistan's victory over Sri Lanka. A young man’s hand was broken. This is not new in Kashmir. You might be aware of an aspiring cricketer who was shot dead by Indian forces, in a civilian protest against the molesting of a Kashmiri girl by an armed forces’ personnel. Now looking at all this, I am afraid of what will happen if your team wins the final. Kashmir will celebrate it and I'm afraid my country’s jawans will beat up civilians in Kashmir valley. I'm afraid of your team winning. I don't wish you to lose as well. I just need sport to be sport here, with more people like you in my country and not people like Sehwag to give patriarchal war cries for mere sport, which reflects as traumatic wounds on Kashmiri minds and bodies. I really wish there are people like you instead of privileged people like Sehwag, who again praised an Army major for committing an established war crime of making a civilian as Human shield . Let alone the Indian Army chief who praised it. And not to mention the millions of Indian nationalists who cheered for this gross crime. Many human rights bodies across the world condemned this act, including the United Nations HRC if I am right. I'm sure a lot of nationalists are going to curse me for this. You know, especially people with ideologies similar to that of a Hindi actor who went to the extent of saying Arundhati Roy should also be tied to the Army jeep as a Human shield. But do you think a man standing for victims of oppression would care? No. Definitely not. If I do, I wouldn’t openly abuse you (Afridi) with so much love. Wish to meet you (Afridi) one day. May be for a Iftar party. Advanced Eid wishes, big brother! You stand tall. Coming to the finals match, I’m still like a cat on the wall whether to wish your team success coming Sunday, given the above excuses. Let me go to sleep now. Bye!
(P.S.: Click blue words in the note for incidents and context)
Source:CHALUKYAN G
