Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli and actor Anushka Sharma were slammed on social media after the cricketer posted a video urging everyone to refrain from bursting firecrackers.
Happy Diwali 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/USLnZnMwzT
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) November 14, 2020
Taking to social media, Kohli asked everyone to light a diya instead of burning crackers. “A very happy Diwali from me to you and your families. May God bless you with peace, prosperity, and happiness this Diwali. Please remember do not burst crackers. Protect the environment and have fun at home with your loved ones with a simple diya and sweets on this auspicious occasion. God bless you all and take care,” Kohli said in the video.
However, his message was not received well by the social media users who took to Twitter to express their discontent. Though Sharma had not shared or tweeted anything, the actor was also slammed on social media.
Did you know Virat Kohli was fined for using drinking water to wash his car?
Lakhs of litres of water are needed to maintain cricket pitches.
A D V E R T I S E M E N THe flies in private jets, causing notorious CO2 emissions
And these hypocrites have the audacity to preach to Hindus pic.twitter.com/vN5e6LJplO
— The Watchful Indian (@watchfulindian1) November 15, 2020
Soon, hashtags such as ‘Anushka apna kutta sambhal‘ started to trend on Twitter and many called the couple ‘Hinduphobic’. Social media users also shared videos of the couple bursting firecrackers in order to show their defiance against the cricketer’s statement. Criticising the pets that the couple owns, many even accused Kohli and Sharma of causing more damage to the environment with the number of cars and private jets they own.
can’t believe that people are not only attacking Virat and Anushka for urging people to not burst crackers this Diwali, (a plea she makes every year tbh) but they’re ALSO attacking Anushka’s dog?!
someone literally said “Anushka’s dog is a coward, other dogs don’t mind crackers”
— Andre Borges (@borges) November 14, 2020
This is not the first time Sharma had to face trolling during Diwali. In 2016, she tweeted about animals’ safety and health during the festival season and was slammed for the same.
It’s time your furry friends stopped hiding in some corner and joined you in your #Diwali celebrations. Have a #PAWsitive Diwali pic.twitter.com/oBkPsVVBAF
— Anushka Sharma (@AnushkaSharma) October 26, 2016
However, New Delhi has taken a serious hit after the Diwali celebrations, and the capital stood at 461 on the Air Quality Index as on