NEW DELHI: Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed on Wednesday stoked controversy after she questioned the non-selection of Sarfaraz Khan for India’s recent cricket assignments. She asked whether Khan was not selected in the India A cricket squad “because of his surname”, drawing an angry attack from BJP which accused Mohamed and her party of seeking to divide Indian cricket team on religious lines.In a post on X, Mohamed said, “Is Sarfaraz Khan not selected because of his surname!,” “#justasking We know where Gautam Gambhir stands on that matter,” she added, apparently taking a jibe at the Indian team’s coach.Congress functionary’s remarks drew a sharp reaction from BJP , with its spokesperson Shahzad Poonawala slamming Mohamed’s post as communal and pointing out that players like Mohd Shami and Mohd Siraj have done so well for India over the years.“This lady and her party is sick. After calling Rohit Sharma fat — she and her party want to divide even our cricket team on communal lines? Desh ka partition karke mann nahi bhara kya? (Are they not satisfied even after partitioning the country?).” “In the same team Mohammad Siraj and Khaleel Ahmed will play! Stop dividing India on communal lines, caste lines,” he added.This is not the first time Congress spokesperson has sparked a row with her comments on Indian cricket. Mohamed had courted controversy earlier this year in March by fat-shaming then Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma. She had to delete her social media post after Congress had reprimanded her. In her deleted post, Mohamed had said Sharma is “fat for a sportsman”.On Tuesday, when the national selection committee picked the Indian squad for the two first-class games against South Africa A, Sarfaraz Khan didn’t find a place in the two separate squads to be led by Rishabh Pant.
