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t seems raking up I wasn’t very good at it. You from participating in polls disappear”. This drew sharp
Kashmir and reacting to don’t know very much about for their alleged anti-national reaction from Mehbooba
the developments in the J&K, it’s history or the role statements. who blocked him on Twitter.
state or statements of of @jknc_ in shaping that “Why waste time in Ever since, Gambhir also
I its leaders has become history yet you insist on dis- court? Wait for the BJP to visited J&K to campaign for
the favourite pastime of the playing that ignorance for all scrap Article 370. It will the BJP and in his speeches
cricketer-turned politician to see. Stick to stuff you know automatically debar us from too, he took on Omar and
Gautam Gambhir. Soon after about, tweet about the IPL.” fighting elections since the Mehbooba. Addressing a
joining the BJP, his Twitter Gambhir wasn’t discour- Indian constitution won’t rally at Udhampur, Gambhir
spat with the major J&K lead- aged. He followed the argu- be applicable to Jammu once again slammed Meh-
ers Omar Abdullah and Meh- ment with Omar up with Me- and Kashmir anymore,” she booba for her “anti-national
booba Mufti has brought him hbooba over her tweet that tweeted in response, adding: remarks”.
a generous media attention, India’s constitution would no “Na samjhogay tho mit jaoge, “Mehbooba Mufti blocked
an incentive, perhaps, for him longer apply to J&K if Article aye Hindustan walo. Tum- me on Twitter but how will
to tweet and talk more about 370 were to be scrapped. She hari dastaan tak bhi na hogi she block 125 crore patriots.
the state. also warned that all Indians dastaano mein (O people of Her dream to break India will
Gambhir’s latest brush will have to pay for the BJP’s India, you will be erased if not be successful,” Gambhir
with Kashmir began with his folly of withdrawing Article you do not understand. Even said while talking to report-
response to Omar’s demand 370 and Article 35A. Meh- your tales won’t be written in ers after addressing an elec-
for restoration of the posts of booba’s tweet followed after history) tion rally here.
‘Wazir-e-Azam’ (Prime Min- a petition was filed in Delhi In response, Gambhir He also slammed Omar.
ister) and “Sadr-e-Riyasat” High Court urging the court retorted saying “This is India However Gambhir’s Kashmir
(President) for J&K. Former to bar Omar and Mehbooba not a blot like you that it will fixation is not new. Earlier
J&K Chief Minister said it in too, he has sparred with
the context of the BJP’s policy people over Kashmir and
to revoke Article 370 and Gambhir, mufti trade reacted controversially to
Article 35A which grant the the developments in the
state special position under barbs on Kashmir state. In April 2017 he called
India’s constitution and the for mass murder in Kashmir
power to define citizenship in retaliation for the heck-
laws respectively. ling of the CRPF jawans by
The demand for the Prime a group of Kashmiri youth,
Minister and the president whose video had gone
for Kashmir was vehemently viral.
opposed by the Prime Min- Gambhir had then
ister Narendra Modi at an tweeted, “For every slap on
election rally. But Gambhir my army’s Jawan lay down
took the debate forward. In at least a 100 jihadi lives.
a tweet addressed to Omar, Whoever wants Azadi
he mocked him for his LEAVE NOW! Kashmir is
comments ours. #kashmirbelongs2us”
“Omar Abdullah wants Last year, Gambhir had
a separate PM for J&K and slammed Pakistani cricketer
I want to walk on oceans! Shahid Afridi following
Omar Abdullah wants a his tweet on Kashmir saying
separate PM for J&K and I that Afridi “is, as usual, cel-
want pigs to fly! More than a ebrating a dismissal off a
separate PM Omar Abdullah no-ball”. Pakistani cricketer,
needs some sleep followed in a tweet, had condemned
by a strong coffee! If he still the then killings in Kash-
doesn’t understand then a Cricketer-turned-politician challenges former J&K mir and had urged the UN
green Pakistani passport.” chief minister to face her on the political battlefield to intervene to stop the
Omar tweeted back: bloodshed.
“Gautam, I never played as the latter blocks him on Twitter after heated
much cricket because I knew arguments, reports RIYAZ WANI letters@tehelka.com

Tehelka / 30 april 2019 38 www.Tehelka.com