Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag is the latest to join the tirade against Prime Minister Imran Khan ongoing in India following his impassioned maiden speech at the 74th UNGA session. Sehwag shared the video clip of Imran Khan’s interview with a USA news channel on his recent tour.
Irked Indian Cricketers
While the American host described Imran Khan as an ‘American voter from the Bronx‘, the Sehwag misheard it as ‘welder‘ and misquoted it in his tweet. “After the pathetic speech in the UN a few days ago, this man seems to be inventing new ways to humiliate himself,” wrote Sehwag in a scornful tweet. Sehwag, however, attempting to slander PM Khan ended up being a laughing stock himself following his twitter faux pass.
You sound like a welder from the Bronx, says the anchor.
After the pathetic speech in the UN a few days ago , this man seems to be inventing new ways to humiliate himself. pic.twitter.com/vOE4nWhKXI— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) October 3, 2019
At UNGA speech, there were indications for India of potential nuclear war. As a prominent sportsperson, Imran Khan’s choice of words 'bloodbath' 'fight to the end' will only increase hatred between the two nations. As a fellow sportsperson I expect him to promote peace.
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) October 2, 2019
At UNGA speech, there were indications for India of potential nuclear war. As a prominent sportsperson, Imran Khan’s choice of words 'bloodbath' 'fight to the end' will only increase hatred between the two nations. As a fellow sportsperson I expect him to promote ✌️ peace
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) October 2, 2019
Virender Sehwag, the score of Indian social media users also misquoted the word ‘voter’ as a welder and disparaged Imran Khan. Surprisingly, acclaimed Indian cricketers including Sourav Ganguly, Mohammed Shami, Harbhajan Singh, and Irfan Pathan slammed Imran Khan for his speech at the UNGA and said his words were out of line.
Viru .. I see this and I am shocked ..a speech which is unheard of .. a world which needs peace ,pakistan as a country needs it the most .. and the leader speaks such rubbish ..not the Imran khan the cricketer world knew ..speech in UN was poor ..
— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) October 3, 2019
Mahatma Gandhi spent his life spreading the message of love, harmony and peace. @ImranKhanPTI from UN podium issued despicable threats and spoke of hatred. Pakistan needs a leader who talks development, jobs & economic growth, not war & harbouring terrorism #india
— 𝕸𝖔𝖍𝖆𝖒𝖒𝖆𝖉 𝖘𝖍𝖆𝖒𝖎 (@MdShami11) October 2, 2019
Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Youth Affairs and Sports and Minister of State for Minority Affairs also commented on the Sehwag’s tweet, saying: “To the point @virendersehwag bhai (sic).”
To the point @virendersehwag bhai👍 https://t.co/6SzLMJ82FO
— Kiren Rijiju (मोदी का परिवार) (@KirenRijiju) October 3, 2019
Earlier, former cricketer and a serving BJP Parliamentarian, Gautam Gambhir denigrated PM Khan, calling to expel him from the international cricketing fraternity.
While PM Khan’s maiden speech garnered him global appreciation, Gautam Gambhir is in the furor, mainly because PM Khan had taken to cleaners RSS and BJP government at the world forum for breeding religious extremism and jingoism in India, and for its illegal annexation of IOK.
Read more: Imran Khan must be expelled from cricketing fraternity: Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir’s scorn for Pakistan is old. On multiple occasions, he has posted unwarranted hateful tweets against Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi, since he too has been vocal on Kashmir issue globally. The former Indian cricketer jeered at Pakistan for providing foolproof intense security to the Sri Lankan team, who is currently on a visit to Pakistan, amid the allegation of bluffing several flat buyers in Delhi and embezzling millions from them.
Clarification from the Host
Pakistani social media gave hilarious reactions to the tweets posted by several notable Indian celebrities, mostly cricketers, mocking their inability to comprehend the American accent. Sharing the Twitter post of Virender Sehwag, a Pakistani social media user sought clarification from Joe Scarborough, a TV host interviewing PM Khan, to clear the fiasco over ‘welder‘ or ‘voter‘. Scarborough replying to the tweet clarified that he said ‘American voter’ and not ‘wielder’. Adding that, “Would have never thought to say “welder” from the Bronx.”
It’s clearly a “voter” from the Bronx. Would have never thought to say “welder” from the Bronx.
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) October 3, 2019
Seriously. That's the worst thing about this entire excruciatingly idiotic exercise of trolling: to use the word welder as a slur. Change a word, & make it into an abuse. How low it is to even think that being a welder is an insult.
It's about time @JoeNBC of @MSNBC cleared this https://t.co/oLxn0qP6uf
— Mehr Tarar (@MehrTarar) October 3, 2019
https://twitter.com/Maq_one/status/1179044613186715649?s=20
What Imran Khan had said?
In an interaction with an American news channel MSNBC, Imran Khan mocked the infrastructure in the country, saying, “You have to go to China and see the way their infrastructure is. In New York, I am watching the car bumping around here.”
He slammed the USA for investing money on futile wars in the Middle East and Afghanistan while China was busy developing its world’s class infrastructure. Adding that instead of spending the USA’s taxpayer money on building and providing a flawless infrastructure to them, the USA fuelled destructions in other countries. The USA taxpayers must ask the government where their money was spent since he saw bumps on the roads of the USA, which is the world’s super-power and ultra-rich country.
Read more: Kashmir Abuzz with Chants of “What’s our Relation with Imran Khan? La Ilaha Illallah”
The anchor responded by saying: “You don’t sound like the Prime Minister of Pakistan; you sound like a voter from the Bronx.”
Premier Khan in his speech warned the world about the alarming rise of Hindutva fanatics in India, which has swept India with religious intolerance, jingoism, and inter-faith disharmony. He also jostled the world’s conscience on the ongoing brutalities of Indian armed forces in IOK, calling the United Nations to probe the matter and force India to uplift the inhumane siege and communication blackout, which has now lasted for more than two months.
PM Khan had mentioned the repeated threats for a nuclear war on Pakistan issued by Indian ministers, asserting that a war between two nuclear limits will tarnish the humanity beyond imagination.