Netizens lash out at Hardik Pandya for ignoring issues in India and supporting Black Lives Matter movement

The Mumbai Indians all-rounder Hardik Pandya became the first person to publicly extend his support to the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement in the ongoing 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020). BLM revolution started with the passing away of George Floyd, a black resident of Minneapolis in the United States, due to a white cop to eradicate the discrimination on the basis of colour from the society. 

In a match against Rajasthan Royals at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, Hardik took a knee for the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement. That was a special match for the right-hander as he finally regained his form and  smashed his maiden IPL half-century of 2020 edition. Playing at a strike rate of 285.71, Pandya scored a quickfire knock of 60 unbeaten runs off 21 deliveries with the help of two fours and seven colossal hits into the stands.

On the back of his stupendous efforts, MI posted a daunting 195 for the loss of five wickets in their 20 overs. Though Mumbai lost the match as Royals clinched it by 8 wickets after Ben Stokes smashed his second IPL century and guided his team over the finishing line, Hardik Pandya was all over the news for taking a knee to show solidarity to the Black Lives Matters movement. 

#BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/yzUS1bWh7F

— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) October 25, 2020

However, this didn’t go well with some Indian fans as they trolled Pandya for not supporting the real issues that the people in his own country are facing. There was an outrage among the fans on twitter as they criticised the Indian all-rounder for not taking a stand for common people. 

Earlier, Jason Holder was disappointed with no BLM movement in IPL

A few days back, West Indies cricketer Jason Holder had pointed out that he hasn’t heard any conversations regarding the BLM movement in the 2020 edition of the IPL. He also appreciated the Cricket West Indies for extending their full support to the BLM movement. The 28-year-old had reckoned that it is a long battle but all human beings need to come together to fight this evil of discrimination on the basis of colour. 

“To be honest, I haven’t had one conversation up here around it (BLM). Sometimes it seems it has gone unnoticed, which is a sad thing. Cricket West Indies has done an excellent job in continuing awareness of it. The women had a series in England where they wore the Black Lives Matter logo and continued to push the movement as well,” Holder had stated as quoted by Times of India. 

“It’s a hard challenge and a long hard road. It’s not an overnight fix but the most important thing is we need to come together and see each other as equal human beings. I personally was a bit disappointed to see how the Pakistan and Australia tours that went on after ours, that they were not showing their solidarity afterwards,” he had added. When Hardik Pandya actually did it, the netizens have trolled him over the same.

Here are some of the tweets:

#DalitLivesMatter ❌#AdivasiLivesMatter ❌#MuslimLivesMatter ❌#FarmerLivesMatter ❌

#BlackLivesMatter 💯

The usual gimmicks of the Indian Middle class. https://t.co/gotv9q2r8w

— Advaid അദ്വൈത് (@Advaidism) October 26, 2020

An upper-caste Indian cricketer took a knee in support of Black Lives Matter.

Dear Hardik Pandya, have you said anything about how there are ZERO Dalits & Adivasi cricketers in India? Have you said anything about the caste atrocities committed against us? Change begins at home. pic.twitter.com/EKAcgHq1Tz

— Sankul // Dalit Lives Matter (@sankul333) October 25, 2020

to @hardikpandya7,
you took a knee in support of #blacklivesmatter , a movement against structural oppression. but do you have the guts to recognise caste oppression in India? did you speak up about Hathras? will u stand up to your own teammates who display caste supremacy? pic.twitter.com/QCfa5GaTKK

— Agatha Srishtie 🌸 #DALITLIVESMATTER (@SrishtyRanjan) October 25, 2020

His life never mattered ?? Never seen you kneel down for him?? He is from country whose tax money you living on! pic.twitter.com/VXNR5I7mTP

— suneendra🇮🇳 (@Kumar_Suneendra) October 26, 2020

Say something about palghar you biased!! Their lives didn't matter? Shame on you.

— Tweet it!!! (@qahpc18) October 25, 2020

Yeah Black Lives Matter.

But I'll marry a White 😉 pic.twitter.com/MxWoAL2Ccr

— A1mit 🇮🇳 (@A1mit) October 26, 2020

Same upper caste “pandya” when it comes to #DalitLivesMatter . pic.twitter.com/DTTTATNnjA

— Ritesh cholera (@cholera_ritesh) October 26, 2020

hehe✨ stop embarrassing yourself and start talking about the suppression minorities in your own country face even if doesn't support your cause ✨

— Phool for you 🌸🌈 (@eatyourshawarma) October 26, 2020