‘What Is Going On?’ Martina Navratilova Reacts to Hate Speech in India

Navratilova tweeted a video of Hindutva groups taking a pledge to “fight, and if required, kill" for Hindu rashtra.

Image used for representational purposes.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Former American tennis player Martina Navratilova’s tweet on “what is going on” in India, in reference to hate speech spewed against minorities, has gone viral.

Retweeting a video of Hindutva groups which included Hindu Yuva Vahini, and Sudarshan News Editor-in-Chief Suresh Chavhanke, taking a pledge to “fight, die and if required, kill" in order to turn India into a Hindu rashtra, Navratilova, considered one of the greatest tennis players in the world, expressed her concern and asked “What is going on?!?”

Her tweet has led to a further discussion on the rising religious intolerance in the country and the impunity that certain sections seem to enjoy.

Joining the conversation, journalist Rana Ayyub answered Navratilova saying, “Prelude to a genocide. World leaders will be complicit in looking the other way.”

When a user said, "Few people are as divisive and prejudiced as you, Ms Ayyub. You keep your mouth shut" to Ayyub, Navratilova wrote, "Just another man telling a woman to keep her mouth shut. F… off…"

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…”

Other netizens said, "This is new India!"

(Photo: Twitter)

(Photo: Twitter)

This isn’t the first time Navratilova has tweeted on Indian affairs. Another tweet of hers had gone viral earlier when she took a dig at Home Minister Amit Shah’s statements on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s listening abilities.

Shah had said, “I have never seen such a good listener as PM Narendra Modi. He listens to everyone, gives importance to the quality of the suggestion(s), rather than the person who has suggested it and then takes a decision. The final decision rests with him, but of course, he is the Prime Minister."

Navratilova had retweeted this saying, “And for my next joke …”