Bareilly’s Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi, president of All India Muslim Jamaat, has thrown down the gauntlet over Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup boycott. Labeling the nation’s internal chaos as disqualifying, he insists cricket must bow to ethical considerations.
During a pointed discussion, Razvi linked BCCI to state influence. ‘Under the Sports Ministry, they have a duty to consider Bangladesh’s minority persecutions,’ he emphasized. ‘Wise choices considering this will be celebrated; ignoring it spells fan revolt.’
Razvi depicted Bangladesh as teetering on the edge, with extremists perpetrating horrors against minorities. ‘India’s pitches aren’t for them now,’ he proclaimed, advocating exclusion as a statement of solidarity.
He lambasted a Kerala Jamaat-e-Islami leader’s caliphate critique. ‘Utterly baseless,’ Razvi retorted. ‘Prophetic teachings have shaped equitable laws across countries, evident in constitutions upholding justice, women’s honor, and equal rights.’
With the World Cup looming, Razvi’s bold position amplifies voices demanding moral clarity in sports. It underscores how global events can infiltrate the pitch, compelling organizers to navigate a minefield of politics and principles.