'Leave Kashmir alone, do something for your failed nation'

Shahid Afridi and Suresh Raina. Pictures/ Afridi, Raina Instagram

Left-handed batsman Suresh Raina has joined the list of Indian cricketers who have criticised former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi for his recent anti-India remarks.

"Gosh! What all a person must do to remain relevant! Even more so for a nation that is living on alms. So, better do something for your failed nation and leave Kashmir alone," Raina said on his official Twitter handle taking an indirect jibe on Afridi.

"I am a proud Kashmiri and it is and will always remain an inalienable part of India. Jai Hind!" he added.

Afridi recently accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of committing religious atrocities in India in a video which has gone viral on social media. Shikhar Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh and Gautam Gambhir all have slammed the former Pakistan all-rounder for his comments.

"When the entire world is fighting coronavirus, you are concerned about Kashmir. Kashmir was, is and will always be ours. Even if you get 22 crore, our one is equal to 15 lakh. Count the rest on your own," Dhawan tweeted in Hindi.

Yuvraj and Harbhajan had recently come under fire for the appeal they made for people to donate to the Shahid Afridi Foundation in its fight against coronavirus.

"Really disappointed by Shahid Afridi's comments on our Hon'b PM Narendra Modi ji. As a responsible Indian who has played for the country, I will never accept such words. I made an appeal on your behest for the sake of humanity. But never again," Yuvraj said on his Twitter handle.

Harbhajan also retweeted Yuvraj's tweeted and commented: "Yes never again no matter what."

Afridi had earlier said that it "does not take a religious belief to feel the agony of Kashmiris...just a right heart at the right place". "Save Kashmir," Afridi said in a tweet last Friday.

Gambhir also slammed Afridi for his comments. "Pakistan has seven lakh force backed by 20 crore people says 16 yr old man Shahid Afridi. Yet begging for Kashmir for 70 yrs. Jokers like Afridi, Imran & Bajwa can spew venom against India & PM Narendra Modi ji to fool Pak ppl but won't get Kashmir till judgment day! Remember Bangladesh?" said the cricketer-turned-commentator on Sunday.

This is not the first time that Afridi has raised the issue of Kashmir.

Last year, he had visited the Line of Control (LoC) to "express solidarity with our Kashmiri brethren" following the Indian government's decision to abrogate Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. He had even called for intervention by the UN and the US regarding the same.

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