Here's Why There's No Need For Parvez Rasool To Prove His Patriotism Other Than On The Cricket Field
Rasool was not horsing around, not chatting idly with a neighbour and, yes, he was not singing the anthem.
It¡¯s not easy being an Indian cricketer, what with the constant pressure to perform, the piercing scrutiny that is the result of the tyranny of the 24-hour news cycle and the need to perpetually shoulder the burden of expectations of millions of fans. But it is downright difficult to be the first Kashmiri Muslim to play cricket for India, as Parvez Rasool, the all-rounder, is finding out.
BCCL
On Thursday, Republic Day, no less, Rasool made his Twenty20 International debut for India against England. Rasool made five runs and picked up 1 for 32 from his four overs as India were thoroughly outplayed. It was a forgettable debut by any standards, but attempts to make it memorable for completely non-cricketing reasons defy logic.
BCCL
When the two teams lined up before the game for the national anthems, Rasool would have been a bundle of nerves, as you would expect of any player making his debut in a high-octane format. As many players do, out of habit or to stay calm, the 27-year-old Rasool was chewing gum when the national anthem played. He was not horsing around, not chatting idly with a neighbour and, yes, he was not singing the anthem. This has angered a broad swathe of Indians, who have predictably taken to Twitter and Facebook, making the short video clip viral.
BCCL
India¡¯s recent obsession with the national anthem reached its peak when a wheelchair-bound Goan was assaulted for not standing up for the rendition of what is essentially a song, even though he clearly could not, while being at a cinema to watch a film. Not long ago, the Union home ministry issued guidelines for the disabled on how they were expected to show respect to the anthem, one of which was "maintaining the maximum possible alertness physically", while adding that those with mild intellectual disability "can be trained to understand and respect the national anthem". If the Indian state makes such stringent demands of those who may not be able to hear the anthem, or recognise it, then it¡¯s only fair to expect Rasool, able-bodied and fit of mind, to sing the anthem, right?
