The Asian Hockey Champions Trophy series commenced in Chennai on 3 August 2023, bringing together six prominent hockey teams from the region. India, Pakistan, China, Japan, Malaysia, and Korea are vying for the prestigious title, showcasing their skills and sportsmanship on the field.
In a surprising turn of events, Pakistan suffered a 1-3 defeat against Malaysia in their opening match, leaving fans wondering if they would be able to recover in the tournament. However, their second match against Korea on August 4 saw a commendable performance, with the teams drawing 1-1.
Speaking after the match, the coach of the Pakistan team, Mohammad Saqlain, expressed pride in his team’s efforts. He revealed that the majority of the players had no prior international experience, making their achievement against a formidable Korean team all the more remarkable. “We have surprised everyone today. It is a great thing to have such a team and tie the match against a strong Korean team!” said Saqlain.
However, his next statement sparked a fresh controversy when he mentioned, “People of Chennai are kind and helpful. We feel like we are in Pakistan and not India.”
The seemingly innocuous comments attracted attention from various quarters, with some hailing the coach’s appreciation of the warm hospitality in Chennai. But soon, political leaders and social media users found themselves entangled in a heated debate.
Dravidian Stocks, a group known for its support of the DMK, started lauding the Pakistan coach’s remarks as an endorsement of their model of governance. Quoting Saqlain’s interview, DMK student wing president Rajiv Gandhi said, “This is the majesty of Dravida Model rule.”
The comments by Rajiv Gandhi were met with swift criticism from netizens who felt that attributing the coach’s statements to the political model was unwarranted. A social media user named NKR Iyer responded, “Yes, what you are saying is true Rajiv. Tamil Nadu is like Pakistan as we have inflation of food prices, insecurity to Hindu women and Hindu temples, breakdown of law and order, bomb blasts, and other issues that we see in Pakistan.” Several others criticized DMK for attributing a general comment of a sportsperson for their politics.
ஆமாம் ராஸிவு, நீ correct தான் சொல்ற போல..Pakistan காரனுக்கு சொந்த ஊரு மாதிரி நா,விலை வாசி உயர்வு,Hindu பெண்களுக்கு, ஹிந்து கோயில்களுக்கு பாதுகாப்பின்மை, சந்தி சிரிக்கும் law & order, கற்பழிப்பு, கொலை கொள்ளை,bomb blasts,இந்த விஷயத்தில இருக்கும்,பாகிஸ்தான் range ku விடியல்
— NKR Iyer (@NarayananKR777) August 5, 2023
(with inputs from Vikatan)
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