Martina Navratilova reacts to Hindutva leaders' hate speech video targeting minorities in India

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova’s on Twitter reacted to the Hindutva groups' 'hate speech' video that has gone viral.
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova (L) reacted to the Hindutva groups' 'hate speech' video. (Photo | AFP and YouTube Screengrab)
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova (L) reacted to the Hindutva groups' 'hate speech' video. (Photo | AFP and YouTube Screengrab)

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova on Twitter reacted to the Hindutva groups' "hate speech" video that had gone viral.

The 18-time singles Grand Slam champion retweeted a video of Hindutva groups taking a pledge to "fight, die and if required, kill" in order to turn India into a Hindu Rashtra.

A concerned Navratilova asked, "What is going on?!?”

Which led to a discussion of 'rising religious intolerance in India'.

Renowned journalist Rana Ayyub who joined the conversation, said, "Prelude to a genocide. World leaders will be complicit in looking the other way.”

One of the users slammed Ayyub and said, "Few people are as divisive and prejudiced as you, Ms Ayyub. You keep your mouth shut."

Reacting to the comment Navratilova wrote, "Just another man telling a woman to keep her mouth shut. F… off…"

Following this, another user pointed out that the three-day event held in Haridwar was filled with such "hateful speeches".

For which the former world number one commented, "That’s just awful…"

When another user informed the former tennis champion of another such event in Haridwar, which went on for three days with hateful speeches, Navratilova said, “That’s just awful…”

'Is India still a democracy': Opposition leaders slam 'hate speech conclave'

Several Opposition leaders, including those from the Congress and the TMC, on Thursday condemned what they said was a "hate speech conclave" held in Haridwar recently and called for strict action against those involved.

All-India Trinamool Congress national spokesman Saket Gokhale demanded immediate action against the organisers and speakers of the Dharma Sansad held recently in Haridwar, where "hate speeches" were allegedly made against Muslims.

Gokhale lodged a complaint in this connection at the Jwalapur police station in Haridwar district, asking the Station House Officer to register an FIR within 24 hours.

At the event, several speakers allegedly made inflammatory and provocative speeches, calling for the killing of people from the minority community.

WATCH |

Held at Ved Niketan Dham in Haridwar from December 17-20, the Dharma Sansad was organised by Yati Narasimhanand Giri of the Juna Akhada, who is already under police scanner for making hate speeches and inciting violence against Muslims.

Amit Shah's praise for Narendra Modi a joke, says Martina Navratilova

Earlier in October, Navratilova also called Amit Shah's praise for Narendra Modi a joke.

Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "democratic leader", Union Home Minister Amit Shah said even his critics will agree that the Union Cabinet has never functioned in such a democratic manner as it is functioning in the Modi government.

This comment by the Home Miniter did not go down well with Navratilova. “And for my next joke…” she tweeted in reply to Shah's eulogy of Modi as "India's most democratic leader".

Along with the tweet, she added an emoticon for astonishment and another that resembles a clown.

Rejecting allegations that Modi is an autocratic leader, Shah, in an interview to SANSAD TV, said that he has not seen a "patient listener" like the prime minister, who gives importance to all worthy suggestions given by anyone irrespective of their designation or position in the hierarchy.

Shah had said Modi does not hesitate in taking political risks for decisions that are in national interest, and at times has taken bitter decisions for the welfare of the nation.

(With Inputs From PTI)

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