Rohit Sharma, the captain of the Indian cricket team, found himself engaged in an unwanted dispute on Monday after Congress lawmaker Shama Mohamed fat-shamed him online.
The politician's words sparked widespread outrage, eliciting reactions from both the cricketing and political sectors of the country. Rohit Sharma, one of the most decorated cricketers in contemporary history, was targeted by the national spokesperson of the Indian National Congress, who stated that the renowned batsman 'needs to lose weight'.
In a now-deleted post on X, Congress leader Dr Shama Mohamed stated: “- @ImRo45 is fat for a sportsman! Need to lose weight! And of course the most unimpressive Captain India has ever had!”
As the remark erupted into a major scandal, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia labeled the words 'unfortunate', claiming that making such remarks in the middle of an ICC tournament might have a demoralizing effect on a cricketer's morale.
"Very unfortunate for a responsible person to pass such a trivial comment when the team is in the middle of such a crucial ICC tournament. It may have demoralizing effect on an individual or the team. All the players are performing to their highest potential and results are visible. I hope individuals will desist from making such derogatory statements for personal publicity sake," BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia told NDTV in an exclusive chat.
Even Congress rivals BJP hit back at Shama Mohamed for her remarks on Rohit Sharma. BJP politician Radhika Khera and renowned journalist Rajdeep Sardesai broke out on social media after the former called Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma “fat” and “unimpressive” as a leader.
Radhika Khera was quick to point out that the Congress politician was indulging in body-shaming.
“Congress spokesperson body-shaming @ImRo45 - The sheer audacity! This is the same Congress that humiliated athletes for decades, denied them recognition, and now dares to mock a cricketing legend? The party that thrives on nepotism is lecturing a self-made champion? “Rohit Sharma is a World Cup-winning captain. Your leader, @RahulGandhi can’t even captain his own party without crashing it into the ground!
Mr. @Jairam_Ramesh instead of your team spewing cheap insults at a man who has brought glory to India, you & ur spokespersons should focus on the real ‘weight’ your party is shedding—relevance, credibility, and elections! Congress should worry about its own sinking dynasty before taking cheap shots at India’s pride!,” Khera posted on X.
Meanwhile, Rajdeep Sardesai responded to Mohamed's criticism by noting Rohit has won several IPL titles as captain and leads the best white-ball team in the world.
“@ImRo45 makes some first-class decisions that show he has a SUPERB cricket brain. He has won multiple IPL titles as captain and has led a whiteball team that’s the best in the world. IMHO, Rohit Sharma has been a wonderful captain for Team India, someone who leads from the front and plays a fearless brand of cricket in white ball games,” Sardesai stated.
Dr. Shama Mohamed stood her ground and stated that she feels Rohit Sharma is overweight and sportsperson should be fit. She stated that this was right to say and she was not in wrong.
