Gautam Gambhir Says 'Discrimination with Danish Kaneria Shows Real Face of Pakistan'
Former pacer Shoaib Akhtar first revealed Kaneria faced discrimination at the hands of a few Pakistani cricketers, who were reluctant to even eat with him because he is a Hindu. Kaneria supported Akhtar's claim.
New Delhi, December 27: Former India opener and BJP MP Gautam Gambhir on Friday said Pakistani cricketer Danish Kaneria's remark that he was mistreated by a few teammates for being a Hindu showed the "real face" of the neighbouring country.
Gambhir said Kaneria has played 60-55 Tests for his country and if despite that he is being made to face such torture, "this is really shameful". "We had captains like Mohammad Azharuddin leading India for such a long time... This is happening in a country helmed by Imran Khan who himself was a cricketer," Gambhir said. Gautam Gambhir Says 'This is Actual Face of Pakistan' After Shoaib Akhtar's Claim That Pakistani Hindu Cricketer Danish Kaneria Faced Discrimination.
"India gave so much respect to Mohammad Kaif, Irfan Pathan, Munaf Patel. In fact, Patel is my close friend. We always played as a team to make our country proud. But the reports coming in from Pakistan are really unfortunate," Gambhir said, adding "this shows the real face of Pakistan".
The cricketer-turned-politician said if a sportsperson could be meted out such a treatment, "one can only imagine what Hindus, Sikhs and other minorities have to go through (in Pakistan)". Former pacer Shoaib Akhtar first revealed Kaneria faced discrimination at the hands of a few Pakistani cricketers, who were reluctant to even eat with him because he is a Hindu. Kaneria supported Akhtar's claim.
Kaneria, only the second Hindu to play for Pakistan after his maternal uncle Anil Dalpat, took 261 wickets in 61 Tests at an average of 34.79. He also played 18 ODIs. On the ongoing protests against the amended citizenship law, Gambhir said people were being misled and the legislation was not "anti-Muslim or anti-Indian".
"I would request people... Whatever you want to do, please do it peacefully. The government will resolve your issues. Nothing will come out of violence, stone-pelting on police and damaging public property," he said. Shoaib Akhtar on Pak Bowlers Says 'Clueless How to Take Wickets on These Tracks'.
On Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit's reported remarks that "more than half of our police force is corrupt" and "takes refuge in nationalism", Gambhir said, "I have always supported the forces. They have got human rights as well. They do whatever they can for all citizens of this country". Dikshit did not respond to attempts for a comment.