Welcome to the world of social media. People have been hounded for even offensive tweets- even if they were not celebrities nor did interview in national TV. Just that most Indians have not been a part of the conversation and being new to social media in the last couple of years gives Indian the illusion that something drastically became “intolerant”. Robin Uthappa the famous cricket player from Kodagu has been quoted as saying that he relocated to Dubai mainly because of kids’ education and safety issues. Robin no doubt played at the highest level with great skill and performance and well known in our country for cricketing reasons. When he says he relocated to Dubai for safety and educational reasons sounds very obnoxious. We have best educational system in India in which the students have made name in every other country. No doubt, he has a right to choose. Nothing wrong with that. But his justification is repugnant. Even worse, he makes these silly comments to foreign media. Born in this country, got name and fame in this soil, earned crores of money with millions of cricket fans, and now the country is insecure? Whichever country he would move, but remember that this country has made him Robin Uthappa tolerating his worst and good times. He is not the only one to have despaired and wondered if they should leave the country because they feel vulnerable and worried for their child’s future. In the backdrop of Robin’s comment and the reaction it attracted, I would say that it is a pure mislead. Had he asked about the people who make us feel that India is intolerant? India has tolerated everything so far, it’s great leaders’ politicians, sincere government employees and mindful citizens who are publicly active and take so much care in electing people who always think about the good of the country. How is education better in Dubai? Should he justify it by throwing his home country under a bus? When he has lived through more worse times in this country, but did he ever think of moving out? What about other cricketers much more famous than Robin like Kohli, Dhoni, Rohit and many more. Should they follow him? According to Robin’s apprehensions about his family’s security being the main reason, in that case all famous cricketers and sportspersons would have left the country. His choice of relocation is his individual opinion as a common man has nothing to do with it. But saying it is for security reasons is unfair and stands by intolerance remark. He doesn’t have to demean his home country? This country has given name, fame and wealth and he is talking about safety in Dubai? What a shame when you comment against a nation which gives you identity! There are crores of women living in India, is he talking of safety for women? Wasn’t his wife living safely in India all these years? Not surprised, if many more sportsmen shift their base. Sports in India is considered as a means to get a seat in college or for a job. Whatever said and done Mr. Uthappa erred in saying that he was relocating because Dubai has good schools and was safe for women. You don’t need to even say something as drastic as Amir khan. You can say “I hate Apple and I am going to windows”.
Kodandera Mamatha Subbaiah
