SAMAJ WEEKLY UK
Vidya Bhushan Rawat
The Spanish victory in the FIFA World Cup was a treat. The match might not have been of the highest quality, but under Pedro Sánchez, Spain became a symbol of hope for millions of people across the world who seek justice and peace for the Palestinian people.
The victory was a slap in the face to the Trump-led American politics of dominance that has violated international norms. If you watched Trump’s body language during the final moments and the trophy presentation ceremony, you would have realised how uncomfortable he appeared.
From Sobers, Ali to Yamal: When Sports Speak Beyond the Field
It is heartening to see the entire Spanish team stand for the cause of Palestine. Israel has been completely exposed.
A couple of days ago, the legendary Garry Sobers passed away, having brought immense glory to the Caribbean. His success inspired a generation of fast bowlers and batsmen in the West Indies. They subsequently dominated the world stage, though not before facing racial prejudice.
In 1976, England captain Tony Greig made an atrocious and racist remark just before Clive Lloyd’s West Indian team arrived in England to play a five-Test series. The comment outraged the Caribbean players. The result was a 3-0 victory for the West Indies. Vivian Richards scored 827 runs in just four Tests and seven innings at an average of 118.42.
Sports cannot be separated from important political events that affect nations and societies. Veteran boxer Muhammad Ali was unequivocal in his opposition to white supremacy, which he consistently criticised and condemned.
Look at the Spanish team and their support for the Palestinian cause. Lamine Yamal is already on his way to becoming a legend, not merely for his brilliance on the field but also for standing up for what he believes is a just cause.
All this compels us to take a serious look at our stars and the media, who remain completely out of touch with ordinary people. Students- Neha Bora, Manish Kumar and Aameen Amitoj have been protesting for the last 23 days, yet most of these superstars—both the Bombay cinema wallahs and the IPL billionaires—have remained silent, except for people like Shabana Azmi and Prakash Raj, who have stood in solidarity with the students.
The “Manustream media”, which can aptly be called both Modi media and Godi media, have shamelessly become experts at distorting facts and twisting them to suit the interests of their bosses.
Spain, Palestine and the Politics of Football
At the moment, one can say that Spain’s victory has gladdened the hearts of all those who support the liberation of Palestine and seek accountability for Israel’s brutal and illegal military operation against the Palestinian people. The good thing is that Spain’s victory has once again brought the issue of Palestine to international headlines. A big salute to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the Spanish football team, who have stood rock solid for the Palestinian cause.
Student Protests, Media Coverage and the Test of Democracy
Let us now see how the Indian media reports on police violence against unarmed students at Parliament Street. The other day, we heard a young reporter saying that students were raising the slogans “Inquilab Zindabad” and “Azadi”. It is surprising and shocking that someone reporting for a so-called national channel does not know the history of the slogan “Inquilab Zindabad”, which became one of the defining slogans of India’s freedom movement and was popularised by Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh.
Such ignorance only reflects that the Manuwadi media has now truly turned into a Bania ki Dukan, exposing the hollowness of its much-vaunted “merit”.
Anyway, let us see how a democratically elected government handles these protests. Will it engage with the students and resolve the issue, or will it continue to rely on conspiracy theories involving China, Pakistan, Soros, Hindus and Muslims? So far, the government has succeeded in harvesting the crop of hatred, but will that continue?
The Nirbhaya movement severely damaged the credibility of the Congress. Will the present student movement similarly damage Narendra Modi politically?
During the Nirbhaya movement, the conscience of many of our film stars, media personalities and intellectuals appeared to awaken. So far, however, with regard to the student movement, they seem to be still asleep. Or perhaps, frankly speaking, they are pretending to sleep. You can wake those who are asleep, but not those who pretend to be asleep.
So, wait for more conspiracy theories on your prime-time television. Meanwhile, enjoy Spain’s victory, and wish the Palestinian people strength and better days ahead.
