Hindutva politics targets Muslim cricketer: Azharuddin’s name removed from Hyderabad Stadium Pavilion
New Delhi: The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) has removed the name of veteran Indian cricketer and former national team captain Mohammad Azharuddin from a pavilion at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the decision has sparked a wave of criticism, with many viewing it as yet another instance of the growing victimization of the Muslim community in India.
Azharuddin, a celebrated sports icon who led the Indian cricket team in the 1990s and later served as a Member of Parliament from the Indian National Congress (INC), has long been regarded as a symbol of national unity and sporting excellence. Critics state that his unceremonious removal is not merely a sports-related matter, but a politically charged act reflecting deeper ideological shifts in Indian society.
Analysts contend that the move reflects the broader influence of the Hindutva-driven political narrative that has gained dominance under the current Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government. The RSS-aligned Modi administration has, over the years, expanded its use of state institutions to marginalize Muslims and other minority communities. The removal of Azharuddin’s name is being seen as another blow to India’s secular and inclusive democratic fabric.
Further controversy has been stirred by the Indian judiciary’s endorsement of the HCA’s decision, raising serious concerns about the erosion of judicial independence. Legal experts and civil society groups state that the judiciary—once viewed as a guardian of constitutional values—is increasingly becoming a tool that legitimizes the government’s discriminatory actions.
“This is not just about cricket or a pavilion,” one analyst remarked. “It’s about how national heroes are now judged by their religion or political affiliations. Azharuddin is being targeted for his Muslim identity and association with the Indian National Congress.”
Observers believe that the Modi government’s actions send a troubling message to India’s Muslim community and other minorities—that their status as equal citizens is being undermined by the ideological leanings of the ruling establishment.
