“तू जो बोलता है, वही सुनना भी पड़ेगा,
अब चुप रहना सीख , नहीं तो और मजाक बनेगा!”
New Delhi: Once again, the Congress party finds itself in the middle of an unnecessary controversy—this time, thanks to one of its own spokespersons. Shama Mohammad, the party’s national spokesperson, decided to wade into an area completely unrelated to politics, governance, or even the Congress party itself. Instead, she chose to target none other than India’s celebrated cricket captain, Rohit Sharma.
In a now-deleted social media post, Shama called Rohit Sharma “fat” and an “unimpressive” captain. One can’t help but wonder—did she really need to say this? Does she even understand the rigorous selection process and fitness tests cricketers go through? More importantly, does she have the slightest idea about Rohit Sharma’s cricketing record? Even if she were a die-hard cricket fan, was it appropriate for her to make such comments right before the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final against Australia? Timing, clearly, is not her strong suit.
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As a journalist for over 18 years, I must admit, I had barely heard of Shama Mohammad before this. Maybe this was just a PR stunt—after all, as they say, “Any publicity is good publicity.”
Coming to Rohit Sharma’s fitness—well, his stats speak for themselves, something Shama seems blissfully unaware of. India is a cricket-loving nation; we care about our players, their fitness, and their performances. But we also know when to critique them—certainly not before a crucial international match. Ironically, Rohit Sharma must have shrugged off her comment and, unbothered, led India to a crucial victory in the semi-final. Perhaps Shama should take notes on handling pressure from him.
But let’s shift focus back to the Congress party. Why this sudden obsession with Rohit Sharma’s fitness? Shouldn’t they be more concerned about the fitness of their own party and allies—who seem to be losing elections left, right, and center? Maybe a fitness camp for Congress leaders would be more beneficial than one for Indian cricketers.
Then there’s the odd fixation on BCCI. Did Shama mistakenly believe that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is a government body funded by taxpayer money? News flash—it isn’t. BCCI is a private, autonomous entity, entirely self-funded. Unlike BCCI, Hockey India is actually recognized by the Government of India and falls under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. If Shama was really interested in sports, why didn’t she raise concerns about the state of Indian hockey players, who have historically struggled for proper pay and recognition?
Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, hockey has finally started receiving the attention it deserves, but there’s still a long way to go. And speaking of hockey, where was Shama Mohammad’s tweet congratulating Savita Punia? In case she missed it—Savita Punia, India’s women’s hockey team goalkeeper, recently played her 300th international match against the Netherlands in the FIH Hockey Pro League. She is only the second Indian woman to achieve this feat after Vandana Katariya and the second Indian goalkeeper (male or female) after PR Sreejesh. A historic moment for Indian sports—yet, radio silence from Shama Mohammad.
I was in conversation with this gentleman in the last hour of the flight with masks on.Finally I asked him his name & he said Srinath ,then asked him “what to do you do” & he said I am into cricket – that’s when it struck me who he is! With masks on,no one recognizes the other 😀 pic.twitter.com/es8NdUF6fW
— Dr. Shama Mohamed (@drshamamohd) March 29, 2021
To the Congress party, I have one request: focus on real issues that affect people. Train your spokespersons to understand what matters to the public. India faces far more pressing concerns than Rohit Sharma’s waistline.
Thousands of Indian athletes still struggle to afford basic training facilities, many quit before reaching their prime due to financial constraints, and yet, Congress chooses to spend its time commenting on a cricketer’s fitness?
Rahul Gandhi and the Congress leadership should seriously introspect. Your party needs a revival, not distractions. Perhaps if you focused on the actual problems faced by the people of this country, you wouldn’t be in such dire political straits.
Here’s hoping this gaffe is the last, and Congress starts prioritizing issues that truly matter. Cricket doesn’t need Congress’s interference—India’s real problems do.
“कुछ भी नहीं है वो जो दूसरों पे झांका,
अपने अंदर का सफर भी तो कर।“Allama Iqbal
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