Politics isn’t always a grand conspiracy. Most of the time, it is a comedy of errors. That’s exactly what has happened with Gurmehar Kaur. In last 48 hours, we have seen prominent Haryanvi sports people, including Phogat sisters and Yogeshwar Dutt, attack Gurmehar.
Is it a coincidence that after Virender Sehwag and Randeep Hooda—both hailing from Haryana—other celebrities have joined in to target her?
Actually, no! It all started with journalist Rana Ayyub’s tweet on 26th February. After initial tweets by Sehwag and Hooda, and subsequent rebuttal by Shekhar Gupta and Barkha Dutt, Ayyub pointed out that both the men who mocked the 20-year-old Kaur, are from Haryana.
@RaisinaSeries haryana ke hain na. Doing his bit for emancipation of women
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) February 26, 2017
Both @RandeepHooda and @virendersehwag belong to Haryana. Sorry to say sir’s, with those tweets about a ‘poor’ girl, you are doing so much !
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) February 26, 2017
And hell broke loose after that. Ayyub isn’t necessarily the darling of the right, and was at the receiving end due to ABVP’s violence at Ramjas College. The right wing well-oiled machinery kicked in on the social media with many suggesting that Ayyub has insulted Haryana.
. @RanaAyyub Dear #Haryana please decide how a state is being mocked here by Jihadi Journalist @RaisinaSeries
— Asha Bisht (@AashaBisht) February 26, 2017
Ayyub clarified her stand and pointed out to the misogynistic nature of comments by Hooda and Sehwag.
On one hand you hav sakshi and deepa malik ,kalpana chawla who got Haryana on the world map. And on d other are misogynist brand ambassadors
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) February 26, 2017
If you thought things would end there, you are completely mistaken. Babita Phogat of the Dangal fame jumps into the controversy. Her first tweets are not about Gurmehar, but she reacts to Ayyub’s tweet on Haryana.
Haryana ki hi hain hum Phogat sister bhi. Kya jante h aap haryana k bare me . https://t.co/ZWtl5fnEXJ
— Babita Phogat (@BabitaPhogat) February 27, 2017
Ayyub again clarifies that she was tweeting about the two Haryanvi men.
@BabitaPhogat ki jahan aap jaisi ladkiyaan haryana ko world map par laa rahi hain, wahin kuch ladke badnaam bhi kar rahe hain
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) February 27, 2017
When Ayyub asked Babita about her view on Gurmehar, she was very direct with her response.
bahot khushi hui ki aapne insaaf pasandi ki baat ki. Umeed hai ki aap jaisi haryana ki achiever @mehartweets ke haq mein bhi baat karengi. https://t.co/saezYQrZz4
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) February 27, 2017
Jo aapne desh ke haq m bat nhi kar sakti uske haq m bat karna thik h kya??? https://t.co/t4Xb0AELHi
— Babita Phogat (@BabitaPhogat) February 27, 2017
Geeta Phogat also joined into the controversy by tweeting this.
Both went ahead and gave statements to ANI against Gurmehar.
And just when you thought, we are done for the day. Another Haryanvi Wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt jumped into the controversy with creative meme criticising Gurmehar.
— Yogeshwar Dutt (@DuttYogi) February 28, 2017
Needless to say, he was RTed over seven thousand times.
Once again Ayyub took him on and was quick to respond.
Madam ji Kabhi desh ke liye bhi bol liya kro ek bar bolo #hindustanjindabad# https://t.co/KhDSiDM7Zv
— Yogeshwar Dutt (@DuttYogi) February 28, 2017
That kind of answers the mystery of Haryanvi sports people’s obsession with Gurmehar Kaur.
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