A senior police officer in Uttar Pradesh took umbrage to Selección Argentina thanking Kerala along with Bangladesh and Pakistan in a single tweet.
Selección Argentina clubbed Kerala with Bangladesh and Pakistan while thanking the support extended to Argentina’s national football team.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Anjali Kataria took to Twitter to condemn the mention of Kerala as a “separate entity”, like Pakistan or Bangladesh.
“Coming from an official sports body in Argentina, this tweet is reckless, to say the least. Inserting #Kerala as separate entity, that too amongst a trio of nations which emerged bloodily out of British-ruled India, is bound to be read with distaste, by any self-respecting Indian,” she tweeted.
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Unwittingly with the tweet, Kataria opened up a goalpost with no defenders in position. Several Malayalis seized the opportunity to fire taunts and sarcastic comments at the officer.
Thank you Bangladesh 🤩
Thank you Kerala, India, Pakistan. Your support was wonderful! https://t.co/GvKwUP2hwJ— 🇦🇷 Selección Argentina ⭐⭐⭐ (@Argentina) December 19, 2022
Interestingly, most of the tweets in response — a few were distastefully misogynist enough to earn a yellow or red card — were in Malayalam.
Thank you Bangladesh 🤩
Thank you Kerala, India, Pakistan. Your support was wonderful! https://t.co/GvKwUP2hwJ— 🇦🇷 Selección Argentina ⭐⭐⭐ (@Argentina) December 19, 2022
The officer later withdrew the tweet only to substitute it with an explanatory one.
Responding, some pointed out that Selección Argentina’s gratitude was for Kerala’s decades-old love for the Argentina football team.
“Please don’t take it too seriously. We have been cheering for football for long back and even FIFA has recognised our passion for football just recently after the inception of these social media. As an Indian, it seems something to be happy about. Yes, we live football,” a user tweeted.
Please don’t take it too seriously. We have been cheering for football for long back and even FIFA has recognised our passion for football just recently after the inception of these social media. As an Indian, it seems something to be happy about. Yes, we live football.
— Bassim Buhari (@iambazim) December 20, 2022
Some others offered a picture of Kerala to Kataria. “You don’t have to be too emotional about it ma’am. We Keralites irrespective of caste and creed consider football a part of our life. That’s why our excitement will skyrocket during World Cup football. This appreciation of the Argentina Football Federation is part of it,” another user tweeted.
You don’t have to be too emotional about it ma’am. We Keralites irrespective of caste and creed consider football a part of our life. That’s why our excitement will skyrocket during World Cup football. This appreciation of the Argentina Football Federation is part of it.
— Being Human (@SMulakuppadam) December 20, 2022
Some reactions reflected contemporary issues. “This is not the praise we Keralites got for beating people to death in the name of religion, this is the praise every football fan got for expressing their love for their team. I am proud to be a Malayali and a Messi Argentina fan.”
ഞങ്ങൾ കേരളകാർക് മതത്തിന്റെ പേരിൽ മനുഷ്യരെ തല്ലി കൊല്ലുന്നതിനു കിട്ടിയ പ്രശംസ അല്ല ഇത് ഓരോ ഫുട്ബോൾ ഫാൻസും അവരുടെ ടീമിനോടുള്ള ഇഷ്ടം പ്രകടിപ്പിച്ചു കിട്ടിയ പ്രശംസ ആണ് ഞാൻ ഒരു മലയാളി ആയതിലും messi argentina ഫാൻ ആയത്തിലും അഭിമാനിക്കുന്നു
— Yesudas V.A (@YesudasVA1) December 20, 2022
The fans also mentioned Brazilian star Neymar Jr thanking his fans in Kerala and the world football governing body, FIFA, for making a documentary on Kerala’s love for the beautiful game.
The officer clarifies
Sensing the gravity of fiery taunts that were fired at the goalpost she had left open, the officer came up with a second tweet, clarifying her position.
“I strongly feel that a concerned tweet coming from a government body in Argentina is in poor taste. If Argentina wanted to pass proper gratitude to the passion for Football in Kerala, they should not have clubbed us with Bangladesh & Pakistan. And now that I’ve learnt about the height of passion for Football in ‘God’s Own Country I believe Kerala deserved a dedicated thank-you note, not a passing reference between nations.”
The clarification, however, was too late and too little. The Malayali internet community have already warmed up and were raring to go. They kept firing tweets at her.
Here are some of the tweets.
UP മുഖ്യമത്രിക്ക് കേരളത്തെ വിമർശിക്കാമെങ്കിൽ അർജന്റീനക്ക് കേരളത്തെ അഭിനന്ദനിക്കുന്നതിൽ എന്താണ് തെറ്റ്.
— pushpan appu (@AppuPushpan) December 20, 2022
“If the UP chief minister can criticise Kerala, then why can’t Argentina praise Kerala?”
നല്ല വിഷമം ഉണ്ടല്ലേ 😪 കരഞ്ഞിട്ട് കാര്യം ഇല്ല ഇത് കേരളമാണ്…കേരളത്തിലെ പിള്ളേര് വേറെ ലെവലാണ്.
വമോസ് അർജന്റീന🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷— Midhun k r (@Midhun95149197) December 20, 2022
“Feeling sad right? There is no point in crying. This is Kerala. Youth in Kerala is at another level. Vamos Argentina”
ആഹാ.. ഇവറ്റകളുടെ കരച്ചിൽ കേൾക്കാൻ എന്ത് സുഖം
— b_kris (@b_kris6) December 20, 2022
“How nice to hear these people crying.”
Twitter taunts turn political
Some of the tweets deviated from the narrative and took a political colour, as barbs were fired at the UP government and the BJP.
“You North Indians never seen us Keralites as Indians…We are Indians only because we are a part of the Indian Union… Must come to Kerala at least once and see the difference between Kerala and India
Until that, it’s none of your business,” wrote a user.
You North Indians never seen us Keralites as Indians…
We are Indians only because we are a part of the Indian Union…
Must come to Kerala at least once and see the difference between Kerala and India
Until that, it’s none of your business— ലോഗൻ നമ്പ്യാർ (@rakhilogan) December 20, 2022
“Madam, the people at the center do not know that Kerala is a state in India itself. First tell them and understand them. There was corruption even in the GST allocation for Kerala.”
Madam, the people at the center do not know that Kerala is a state in India itself. First tell them and understand them. There was corruption even in the GST allocation for Kerala
— SREENATH. M. S (@SREENATHMS14) December 20, 2022
