New Delhi, In a recent turn of events, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament and former cricketer, Gautam Gambhir, has spoken out against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s use of the term ‘Panauti’ in reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This comes in the aftermath of India’s loss to Australia in the ICC World Cup 2023 final held at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad.
Gambhir, expressing his strong disapproval, deemed ‘Panauti’ as perhaps the harshest word that could have been directed at any individual, particularly the Prime Minister of the country. Drawing parallels with the 2011 Cricket World Cup semi-final, he emphasized that the presence of political leaders at sporting events is not uncommon, citing the example of then-Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh attending the match between India and Pakistan.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has escalated the matter by lodging a formal complaint with the Election Commission of India. The Election Commission, in response, issued a show-cause notice to Rahul Gandhi for his remarks, including the use of ‘panauti’ and other derogatory terms against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Gambhir’s remarks gain significance in the backdrop of a separate controversy involving him and former cricketer S Sreesanth. Sreesanth has accused Gambhir of publicly labeling him a “fixer” during a recent Eliminator match between Indian Capitals and Gujarat Giants, resulting in a heated exchange between the two World Cup-winning players.
