Recently there has been news regarding the Asian Team Chess Championship to be held in Iran. The problem is that Iran is a staunch Islamic nation where women have to wear Hijab or Burqa, which is a mandatory. One Indian player S0umya Swaminathan has requested the govt to exclude her from the team on this particular count. She issued a statement on E media and which says quote ” I am very sorry to say that I have asked to be excused from the Indian women’s team for the forthcoming Asian Nations Cup( Asian Team ) Chess Championship to be held in Iran from 26th Jul to 4th Aug, as I do not wish to be forced to wear Headscarf (hizab) or Burqa. I find that Iranian law of compulsory headscarf to be in direct violation of my basic human rights to freedom of expression, and right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.It seems that under the present circumstances, the only way to protect my rights is not to go to Iran. I am very disappointed to see that players rights and welfare are given such less importance while allotting and/or organising official championships. I understand the organiser expecting us to wear our national team dress or formals or sporting attire for our games during championship, but surely there is no space for an enforceable religious dress code in sports. It is a huge honour for me to represent my country every time I am selected in the national Team, and I deeply regret that I will be unable to participate. While we sports persons are willing to make several adjustments for the sake of sport, always giving top priority in our life, some things simply can not be compromised.”unquote.
What a gutsy player, to make such statement, and asking the federation to exclude her from this championship. But this statements of hers have not liked by Lyutens media journalist Sagarika Ghose ( wife of Rajdeep Sardesai another Gandhi family sympathiser), and she tried to play her anti Modi govt card, while commenting, which was really in very bad taste. What Sagarika Ghose said ” Good for Chess star Soumya Swaminathan to assert her individual rights on wearing headscarf. Hope she will similarly assert her individual rights when told what to wear, eat, read,write, post on social media or told to prove her nationalism by Indian govt.” What is Sagarika Ghose is trying to say as if Indian Govt has turned like Iranian govt and telling citizens what to eat, wear, read, write etc, because she does not like the policies of Modi govt as she is very close to Gandhi family, due to huge benefits she and her husband has received from Congress and UPA govt in the past. Can Sagarika Ghose tell us what has been banned by Indian govt in context of what to eat, what to wear, what to read and write, and what to post on social media, if Indian govt had put any of these bans you would have been behind bars for writing all these anti national, anti govt statements. You still have freedom of speech, and you have the audacity to instigate a sports person to contribute in your dirty politics.
Now I am giving below some of the statement given by prominent Muslims on this issue;
Mohd Kaif- Cricketer— ” Hats off to Soumya Swaminathan for pulling out of this event in Iran. There should be no scope foe religious dress codes to be imposed on players. A host nation should not be granted permission to host such international events it it fails to consider basic human rights.”
Tarek Fateh- A Pakistani staying overseas— ” Bravo! Indian Chess star Soumya Swaminathan refuses to wear a Hijab at Chess championship in Iran.”
S Irfan Habib- Historian— ” Indian Chess star Soumya Swaminathan withdraws from participation in Iran . The mullahs insisted on hijab which she rightly refused to abide.This is one caricature of Islam another is led by Saudi Arabia.”
So friends, you see only Sagarika Ghose has problems with the statement of Soumya , as she see nothing wrong in wearing hijab. I can understand her loyalties to Nehru/Gandhi Parivar, who has always a soft corner for Muslims. So in Sagarika Ghose’s eyes, if you are going to Iran, you must wear hijab. I agree , if you are going as normal tourist then you may have to abide by their laws and eddict, but for international sports events it is not the thing. Suppose tomorrow Iran wants to host Olympics, do you mean to say that the International Olympic Committee ( IOC) will agree that all the women athletes participate wearing hijab. It will be definitely NO by IOC. Even in this case, Indian govt should protest to IOC and withdraw from the tournament.
All over the world, there is one thing common among sports persons and that is they do not like religion and politics in sports.
In the end, what you say my friends.
Waiting for your views/feed backs /comments.
R. N. Mungale.
Saumya is right.