In media organizations, there is a division of the work based on the subject. Journalists A cover Sports, B cover economy, C cover Environment and so on. So it is natural for the A to see the incoming FIFA cup or the cricket world cup the career opportunity to rise up the ladder of career. Likewise for person C, the ongoing Glasgow climate summit is the career opportunity. Climate change is the serious issue and there is no doubt about it. But, career journalists who cover the environment for the media organization look at the issue differently. It is a natural human tendency for the journalist who covers the environment to sensationalize or write controversial things about that to attract the views/readers. This is true not only for the journalist but all professionals like doctors, lawyers etc. Covid19 is the best example where many doctors have seen and presented a pandemic totally differential than what it actually is.
Recently, There were a number of the revelations made by the whistleblowers that Facebook doesn't strike down the posts related to hate campaigns and misinformation as it suits its revenue model. These people are in the business of hate. These people emphasize the devising issues as it suits their business.
Now let me come to the main point. Recently India lost the T20 match against Pakistan. After that there was some controversy in the media on the name of the Indian fast bowler Shami.
Dear one from lahore, Read my words of above three lines closely. Now, read the following three lines closely. The Person who are in the business of the hate likely to writes the same thing in following words
Recently India lost the T20 match against Pakistan. After that there was hate campaign launched on social media on the name of the Indian Muslim fast bowler Shami.
This is what the Rana Ayub twitter -
In Repay, I Have tweeted this -
In Reply of that - @eman_naal , Feminist, Activist, Liberal, Copywriter from lahore replied to my tweet. I promised her to write a detailed post about how people in the business of hate present things differently than what they actually are.
Rana Ayub write that "islamophobic hate against #shami". The basis of this conclusion by Rana is some 10-12 instagram post on Shami. There are mainly two counter arguments on that - In a nation of 130 crore , this is minuscule. Secondly, intelligence agencies overseas have the long history of such practices to create wage between communities and try to weaken the national power of the opponent state. But I don't want to go to those counters. My point is different.
Let's assume that those instagram posts were written genuinely by some Indian. I am emphasizing that let's just assume. And So there was Someone who have written on social media and give rape threat to just a one year old daughter of the Indian Captain Virat Kohli. There were many comments about Anushka Sharma, A famous Bollywood actress and wife of the Indian captain on that day just because she is the wife of the Indian cricket captain. It is not just about Shami and Kohli, There are a number of social media post against the personal things of the various players which have nothing to link with cricket.
But my question is that why Rana Ayub only emphasize the issue of the Shami ? Here is the answer-
Rana Ayub write in her twitter bio that -
Global Opinions Writer at washingtonpost, Journalist writing on Substack. Words in TIME, NYT, Guardian. FP. The New Yorker.
On these platforms Rana write about the issues where the Muslim minority targeted by the BJP majority goverment of the Modi.
Let me give you few links of the her articles :-
As a citizen I am also a critic of the Modi Government and there are millions of Such others. But the People like Rana belong to different categories. Government oppression to minorities suits her professional interest so such people tend to look at these issues differently than they actually are . People in the business of hate tend to look each and every thing with the lens of religion. Platforms like Washingtonian post, Guardian, NY Times give her platform to write columns against the Modi government and not for sports, climate change and economic issues. So, it is a natural tendency that she try to give communal color to each things to get more and more space on global platforms.
The chapter of the Hasan ali after the Paksitan Vs Australia match provide another opportunity to find out who are in the business of hate. After the drop of the catch of Mathew Wade, many Pakistani criticized Hasan ali for his Shia sect and Indian wife. I have seen some tweets of the @eman_naal where she defended Hasan Ali against such a campaign. I don't know that names but i am sure that In Pakistan also, there are many people like Rana Ayub who tried to bring the fringe element to the larger platforms.
In the end, I like to put my point in the simple words. It is natural for any cricket fan to get upset and critical to Indian team performance after the defeat against Pakistan. Some fan criticize poor performance of players based on player's form, Some Criticized based on player's inclination to IPL, Some criticized for the poor short selection of players and some fools criticized for the players religions and player's personal relation ( Wife Anushka sharma). Rana Ayub chose to pick one and ignore all other criticisms just cause it suit her professional interest. There was no "islamophobic hate against #shami". Ten twelve , even ten hundred posts on isnta post in nation of the 130 crore are not enought to conclude the "islamophobic hate". I have tweeted many times that New Ball should be given to Shami as he is the best bowler in the current Indian team. But that does not mean I can not criticize shami's performance just cause he is Muslim. I love Shami's Bowling but he performed poor on that day. That's all !
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