Image matters a lot in politics, and who better to know this than PM Narendra Modi.

Trenchant critics would like us to believe that Modi is ‘all talk, no show’ – but that is an absurd, hollow criticism…including by people who are justifiably frustrated that the issues closest to their heart are not being acted upon. Even if Modi did nothing from now until the first vote is cast in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, he should still get the vote of every sane Bharatiya. The very thought of a Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Maino Gandhi, Mamta Banerjee, Sharad Pawar, Lalu Yadav, Stalin getting their grubby hands anywhere close to levers of power is enough to make one break out in a cold sweat.

However, despite the horrible governance track record of the Opposition leaders, and the revolting anti-Hindu hate speech emanating from the I.N.D.I Alliance members like Udhaynidhi Stalin, the fact remains that they do garner a following in a substantial chunk of the electorate; from dedicated vote banks who are hostile or indifferent towards larger issues concerning Hindu society and the nation.

So while PM Modi continues to try & tap new sections of the electorate, as he has continuously done for the last decade, he must remain cognizant that his old supporters’ sentiments cannot be ignored beyond a point. And especially, when its over something as symbolic and easily manageable as Pakistan’s presence in Bharat for the ICC Cricket World Cup.

Modi supporters understand the argument that Bharat had no choice but to invite Pakistan, if it wanted to host the World Cup, although ideally speaking we should be leading a campaign to get Pakistan blacklisted from the world sporting community just like Apartheid-era South Africa was ousted. And to be honest, if Pakistan had some shame, they would themselves have boycotted this WC, as Bharat has consistently refused to tour their terrorist nation despite repeat threats by PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board). But Pakistan is cunning enough to realize that any kind of normalcy in ties with Bharat improves their image on the world stage by giving them a veneer of respectability.

But what has unfolded over the last few weeks – the out-of-the-way pandering to cricketers representing a country which is at war with us, which instills its citizens with hate for non-Muslim ‘kafirs’ in public education and as a matter of state policy…has been deeply upsetting.

The mistakes have been plenty, and show either gross incompetence or a sneering contempt towards sentiments of ordinary Bharatiyas. Here is a quick run down –

1.) Allowing Pakistan to base itself in Hyderabad, a city which is the hub of the rabidly Islamist AIMIM party and which birthed the Razakar movement at the time of partition to try and merge the princely state of Hyderabad with…Pakistan!

A Hyderabadi journalist was seen fawning over Pakistani cricketer Md. Rizwan – a borderline fanatic who is often seeing doing namaz on the cricket ground during matches, delivered a sermon in a mosque during a tour to New Zealand, and recently tweeted his support for victims of Gaza (and not Israel) – during a press conference, even going to the extent of wishing Pakistan victory in the third match (the upcoming encounter with Bharat), and Rizwan responded to his flattery with ‘it felt like we were in Rawalpindi’. The same Rawalpindi from where ~ 1 lakh Hindus and Sikhs were forced to flee after thousands were raped, murdered, abducted during partition genocide!

No offence to ordinary citizens of Bhagyanagar/Hyderabad, including the patriotic Indian Muslims living there, but I am sure even you will not deny that the support Pakistan has received, right from the time of landing at the airport to the support in the stands, in Hyderabad sends a very disturbing signal to the rest of the country and world. Hyderabad, especially the old city area, needs a thorough clean up and mindset reboot. For starters, the journalist who was heard giving epithets like ‘Mard-e-Mujahid’ to Rizwan should be sacked and investigated.

There were plenty of better choices – Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai – to base Pakistan in, and all their movements should have been kept as low-key as possible, using ‘security’ as the excuse. At least then we could have avoided cringe scenes like this –

2.) Inviting ex-Pakistani cricketers like Waqar Younis – who made a bigoted, supremacist remark to demean Hindus on live TV few years back – and Ramiz Raja – a chronic BCCI and Bharat-basher who thinks Bharat has some obligation to pander to Pakistan despite the latter’s terrorism and evil deeds – as commentators, and Hinduphobes like Zainab Abbas as presenter. Now, this may have been a call by the ICC and TV rights holder Star Sports, but please don’t tell us that the BCCI doesn’t have the clout to ensure that some sensible alternatives were considered.

Incidentally, Abbas had to beat a hasty retreat from Bharat after a legal case was filed against her by Adv. Vineet Jindal. This should demonstrate to notoriously apathetic Hindus about the power of legal activism.

3.) Holding a special musical ceremony before the Bharat-Pakistan match today in Ahmedabad, with Arijit Singh and others performing and Bollywood stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Rajnikanth being special guests. Apart from the inappropriateness of elevating a routine group-stage match with Pakistan to such importance, this is also downright belittling to the other teams in the World Cup as no opening ceremony was held.

Why is such a special welcome being given to Pakistan, despite that country’s proven role in fomenting cross-border terror that claims lives of Bharatiya soldiers and citizens, and its barbaric persecution of Hindus and other minorities?

This special weightage to Bharat-Pakistan matches, and desperate attempts to maximize the chances of these encounters taking place during multi-nation tournaments, was seen during the Asia Cup and previous tournaments as well.

4.) The welcome for Pakistan cricket team at Hyatt Regency hotel in Ahmedabad by girls doing garba was deeply upsetting for many citizens who know the plight of Pakistani Hindu girls and how non-Hijab wearing girls are generally viewed poorly by fundamentalist Muslims, as most Pakistanis are.

Who authorized such a welcome?

5.) BCCI President Roger Binny and Vice President Rajiv Shukla visited Pakistan recently, and talked about being ‘treated like kings’. Were they aware that Pakistan is witnessing several state-sponsored ethnic/religious cleansing campaigns such as that against Hindus & Christians of Sindh, Sikhs in Peshawar, Baloch & Pashtun tribals, people of PoJK etc. 

Many critics have rightly said it was highly insensitive of BCCI top executives to make such remarks without fully understanding the human rights situation in Pakistan.

In further embarrassment for BCCI, the same PCB Chief Zaka Ashraf whom Binny and Shukla were praising to the skies later referred to Bharat as a ‘dushman mulk‘ (enemy country)!

To conclude, BCCI’s recent handling of the perennial ‘cricket with Pakistan’ question, and its handling of Pakistan’s unavoidable visit to Bharat for the ICC Cricket World Cup has been a disaster. And like it or not, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah, the son of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, is the public face of BCCI.

In an ideal world, such things should not matter that much when it comes to electing a government, but human beings are emotional and any party which prides itself on keeping its ear to the ground cannot afford to ignore the public mood. Cancelling the pre-match musical ceremony before today’s match would be a good damage control step to begin with.