Wife accuses Mohammed Shami of thrashing her, BCCI scraps contract: Debates over player's private life raise key questions
The episode has also triggered a debate whether only public figures have the accountability to be loyal.
The ongoing controversy surrounding India pacer Mohammed Shami, who has been accused of domestic violence, has led to debates over the role of BCCI and the conduct of public figures.
The national cricket body withheld Shami’s contract even before he was charged with attempt to murder on Friday following a complaint by his wife Hasin Jahan, triggering a debate on whether BCCI was right in taking the decision based on allegations, and also if personal life is a benchmark for sportspersons' merit.
We are no moral police. Husband wife dispute playing out on national media!! Yes conduct part of contract clause but @BCCI needs to explain.
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) March 7, 2018
It is not in our remit to take sides on Shami and his wife issue.There is law. Courts!! To not incl him in contracts @BCCI needs to say why.
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) March 7, 2018
Indian pacer #Shami not part of @BCCI central contract anymore. Are we going to lose an excellent pace bowler to domestic problems? Seriously? Extra marital affairs have absolutely nothing to do with his game c'mon! #MohammedShami
— Rohit Joshi (@rohitjoshilko) March 7, 2018
The debate took a different turn on March 9, as Kolkata Police charged Shami and his brother with IPC sections related to rape, domestic violence and causing hurt with poison. Based on his wife's complaint, the police filed an FIR under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 498A (domestic violence), 506 (criminal intimidation), 328 (causing hurt by means of poison), 34 (acts by several persons in furtherance of common intention) and 376 (rape). The last section was brought against Mohammed Shami’s elder brother.
Here’s what happened so far:
Hasin Jahan’s FB post against Shami
On March 7, Hasin Jahan claimed that Mohammed Shami has been having affairs with women in different parts of the country and outside. Supporting her claims, she posted several screenshots of his Messenger and WhatsApp messages on her Facebook profile. Later, the screenshots, which revealed the names and phone numbers of the women, were taken down (however, some names are still visible). Jahan has claimed that her Facebook account has been blocked.
She alleged that she has been a victim of domestic violence — that the cricketer started beating her after returning from South Africa — and his family members have even tried to kill her.
Shami and Jahan got married in April 2014 and have a two-and-a-half-year-old daughter Aaira Shami.
'It's a conspiracy'
In a Facebook post, the cricketer, who plays for Bengal and lives in Kolkata, dismissed the charges as “fabricated”, and part of some greater conspiracy being hatched to ruin his life and career. According to reports, he has also alleged that his wife is not in "good mental health".
BCCI withholds Shami’s contract
The BCCI, meanwhile, omitted Shami in its new contract, which was announced just a day after the controversy surfaced. Explaining the decision, a BCCI official said to PTI, “The BCCI has taken cognisance of all the reports emerging about Mohammed Shami’s personal life. It is purely a personal matter and the BCCI has nothing to do it. However, keeping in mind that the woman in question has met the police commissioner of Kolkata, it is only prudent on BCCI’s part to wait for an official inquiry to take place. Hence Mohammed Shami’s name, for the time being, has been withheld from the central contracts that were announced. We would like to reiterate this decision has nothing to do with Shami’s merit as a player, but it is a safeguard in the prevailing circumstances.”
In the newly announced list, captain Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shikhar Dhawan were placed in a new category, Grade A+, and will earn an annual fee of Rs 7 crore. Mohammed Shami would have been in grade B.
This has led to different threads of discussion on social media: instances of players in various sports with turbulent personal lives who continued to shine professionally, whether BCCI's action is more pre-emptive than prudent, whether Shami is being falsely implicated, whether his wife was right in naming and shaming the women etc.
To moral police or not
The episode has also triggered a debate on whether only public figures have the accountability to be loyal. Also, there is a parallel debate on whether a crime like domestic violence has now found supporters as it involves a celebrity.
What a disgrace Shami has done to himself and his image.Being an international cricketer, you're role model of thousands of youths and he's doing such things.Unbelievable #Shameful #ShameOnShami #Shami #MohammedShami pic.twitter.com/FMEbzOe4xs
— Vikrant Singh (@Vikrant_singh_7) March 7, 2018
It's amazing how people think it's necessary to be loyal only when you are a public figure. #MohammedShami
— Bhargav Darekar (@b_darekar) March 8, 2018