Just fan, not enemy within

The 21 year old Ripon Chowdhury of India and Umer Daraz age 22 of Pakistan surely never met each other and I doubt if they even hear names of each other in 2016. They are still living apart but the only common thing between them is both are cricket fans. Then what makes them so important to write on it is again their cricket’ fan following but strangely in opposite direction. As the Indian Ripon Chowdhury loves Shahid Afridi and Pakistani Umer Daraz is a hardcore fan of Virat Kohli. Both the fans hardly know each other but for liking opponent teams’ cricketers of the subcontinent they have been penalized in the irrespective  countries, which is very uncommon and unfortunate for the game.

Cricketing rivalry between India and Pakistan is one of the leading sports rivalries of the planet. Despite that, the two teams do only play against each other in ICC’ multiple teams events and any bilateral series between both have been on hold since Pakistan made a short tour in 2012. In the absence of cricketing ties, gulf between both has only widened further. Now with the police arrests of both Ripon Chowdhury and Umer Daraz, it seems the animosity between the top authorities of the two nations have gone far ahead.

Ripon Chowdhury, a student from Assam was arrested this month while watching a local cricket tournament wearing Pakistan team jersey and that shirt angered a Hindu nationalist group. Therefore a FIR was also filed against him under section 120 (B), 294 of the Indian Penal Code by a local right-wing outfit.  He was arrested based on the subsequent complaint for indulged in an anti-national act. Later, it was revealed that Ripon is a Shahid Afridi fan and he supports Pakistan cricket team only because of him. So he was released later on after a bail was granted to him.

Umer Daraz, a young tailor by profession, was arrested from his house for hoisting Indian flag on January 25 this year in a village about 200 km from Lahore. The police registered an FIR against him under section 123-A of Pakistan Penal Code and 16 Maintenance of Public Order. He said he had no idea that he committed a crime, urging the authorities to pardon him as he should be seen as "an Indian cricketer's fan and not as a spy.""I am a big fan of Virat Kohli. I support the Indian team because of Kohli. Hoisting of Indian flag on the rooftop of my house only shows my love for the Indian cricketer," Daraz said on his arrest. His room was full of posters of Virat Kohli pasted on walls, served as an evidence of his innocence. Therefore, in spite of charged with sedition, Umer Daraz was later quietly released by officials in the central town of Okara.

The stories of both fans offer food for thought for the authorities of both countries that they shouldn’t be leading their people to a dead end. As fans in both India and Pakistan put the sport above the often-fraught relations between their countries and admired each others' players.

By Naseem Rajput

naseemrajput@hotmail.com