Recently, on one of the rarest occasions, Sourav Ganguly led Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) came under fire from various sections of the netizens for allegedly mandating Halal meat for Indian cricketers. Now, BCCI has cleared the air regarding the controversy. However, citizens of the country still want to know whether it’s BCCI or Press Trust of India (PTI) who should be held responsible for the controversy.
BCCI clarifies that Halal meat is not mandatory for cricketers
Arun Dhumal, the BCCI treasurer has come forward with the clarification that the board did not make any mandatory recommendation for any kind of food to be served on the Indian cricketers’ menu.
Talking to news agency IANS, Dhumal dismissed any rumours of any alleged diet plan. In his statement, he said, “The BCCI has not given any direction to any player or team staff on what to eat and what not to eat. All these rumors are baseless,”
Clearing the air around individual freedom for contracted players, Dhumal added, “This diet plan has never been discussed and will not be enforced. The board doesn’t advise anyone on what to eat and what not to eat. They are free to choose their own food,”
PTI had reported the mandatory guidelines for Halal meat
A few days ago, PTI had reported that it had got hold of the menu card meant for Indian players to increase their fitness level. Sports Tak had reported and we at TFI quote, “BCCI has now told the team to follow a strictly Halal diet. The team has been told to not eat pork and If anyone wants to have meat then it should be only in halal form, players can’t eat any other form of meat whatsoever,”
Read more: Indian Cricket team instructed to eat only Halal by BCCI
Since then, there has been uproar. People are raising the question on social media regarding the relation between Halal Rooster to health?
Read more: Rahul Dravid-Rohit Sharma duo have sealed their authority in style
Who will take the responsibility? PTI or BCCI?
But where did this controversy arise from? According to maximum media reports, this report was first made public by the Press Trust of India. Even Sports Tak itself and its owner company India Today had covered this matter on the basis of PTI’s report itself. But PTI did not make that document public either. So the question arises – who is lying after all? PTI or BCCI?
Read more: While everyone is criticising Kohli for the Knee debacle. Ganguly-led BCCI must not be spared too
If the BCCI was lying, then Dhumal’s statement makes it clear that it had to bow down to public opposition, and offer an explanation. But Press Trust of India is also not free of faults, as it has been trolled on social media many times before for spreading fake news.
PTI-A proven liar
In February 2021, PTI tweeted quoting Himanta Biswa Sarma, the current Chief Minister of Assam and the then Health Minister. PTI wrote in its tweet quoting Himanta Biswa Sarma that “If you stand with Bharat in a clash between Bharat and Gita, then you are a Hindu: Himanta Biswa Sarma”
If you stand with Bharat in a clash between Bharat and Gita, then you are a Hindu: Himanta Biswa Sarma
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 17, 2021
In fact, Himanta had said in his statement, “What will seculars prioritise if they are given the option to choose between India and Quran? I will give it to India because of Janani Janmabhoomisch Swargadapi Gariyasi. Himanta Biswa Sarma himself, while retweeting the abovementioned tweet of PTI, reiterated what he had said and also said, “Everyone should watch my interview because PTI has wrongly tweeted what he said. “
Read more: Himanta Biswa Sarma talked about Quran Vs Bharat. Press Trust of India spun it into Gita Vs Bharat
In such a situation, if BCCI had actually made such a controversial plan, then PTI should feel free to make its document public. But if PTI has spread fake news, then BCCI should take strict action against them and that PTI should think a thousand times before committing such an abominable act again even in dreams!
