Scores of netizens lashed out against Congress MP Shashi Tharoor when he shared a video on Tuesday of a group of Taliban celebrating its victory in Afghanistan in which gun wielding men are heard speaking in Malayalam.
The video showed the Taliban member weeping in joy as they reached outside Kabul, hours ahead of falling of the Afghanistan capital in their hands.
It sounds as if there are at least two Malayali Taliban here — one who says “samsarikkette” around the 8-second mark & another who understands him! https://t.co/SSdrhTLsBG
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 17, 2021
While some accused Tharoor of partaking in fueling anti-Kerala and anti-Muslim sentiment on the social media website, others questioned the facts in his statement.
It is reliably learnt that there are natives from Kerala among the AQIS fighters in Afghanistan, but not in Afghan Taliban. Meanwhile Taliban has Brahui speaking Baloch speakers and as we know Brahui sounds similar to Malayalam. The auditable words seem to be frin the AQIS cadres
— A. Harikumar (@journalistHari) August 17, 2021
Shouldn't an elected representative do proper verification of facts before tweeting like this, especially in a polarised atmosphere? To jump into a conclusion based on a sound heard for a single second, which itself was confusing, was irresponsible.https://t.co/9LdrGmxqEJ
— Manu Sebastian (@manuvichar) August 17, 2021
Wonder why you felt this was necessary to point out? Aren’t Keralites lampooned enough? Aren’t Muslims targeted enough?
— Sangita (@Sanginamby) August 17, 2021
This is highly problematic. Making statements like this especially when the Right Wing eco system is going on a hate campaign against Kerala regarding people joining jihadist groups. And you being an MP from Kerala's capital should be knowing better.
— Korah Abraham (@thekorahabraham) August 17, 2021
The 'Malayalis in Taliban' tweet was really avoidable. There's no documentary proof. The tweet led to an opindia story and is now being shared on whatsapp as anti Muslim, anti Kerala propaganda. Even a casual remark can be so harmful in the current circumstances.
— Aditya Menon (@AdityaMenon22) August 17, 2021
And highly irresponsible of the said MP given how the very essence of India is being questioned by the divisive politics of our times https://t.co/RCaCbe3LgB
— anita nair (@anitanairauthor) August 18, 2021
The person who posted the original video, identified as Ramiz, countered Tharoor's doubts.
There are no #kerala origin fighters in rank and file of #taliban they are #baloch from #zabul province who speak brahvi and bravhi language is widely spoken among them,its a darvidian language very similar to telgu tamil malyalam etc
— Ramiz (@RamizReports) August 17, 2021
Tharoor reacted that the matter shall be left to the linguists to figure it out. But there have indeed been misguided Malayalis who joined the Taliban, so that possibility cannot be ruled out entirely, he said. Tharoor even replied to one tweet calling his post "problematic", saying that he was aware of such problems as an MP in the region.
I have been approached by Kerala mothers whose daughters are stuck in Afghanistan after having been taken there by their misguided husbands. I arranged a meeting w/ EAM SushmaSwaraj ji for a constituent to plead her case. Obviously it’s as an MP that I’m aware of the situation.
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 17, 2021
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