Union Minister Smriti Irani.Even as the controversy over the ‘Indian army insignia’ on his gloves refuses to die down, Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Saturday found support from Union Minister Smriti Irani who posted a picture of the Para Commandos Special Forces symbol on Instagram to express her solidarity with the cricketer.
“You’ll never see us cause we don’t exist. You’ll never hear about us cause it never happened. We don’t exist so that you can. Men apart, every man an emperor,” the newly-elected Amethi MP’s post read.
Dhoni, an honorary lieutenant colonel in the territorial army, sported its dagger insignia on his gloves during India’s opening World Cup match against South Africa on Wednesday.
“You’ll never see us cause we don’t exist. You’ll never hear about us cause it never happened. We don’t exist so that you can. Men apart, every man an emperor,” the newly-elected Amethi MP’s post read. (Instagram/smritiiraniofficial)The controversy surrounding Dhoni’s gloves — which have the imprint of a dagger resembling the insignia of the Special Forces — gained further momentum after International Cricket Council (ICC) refused Indian cricket governing body’s request to allow the cricketer to wear them.
In a statement issued on Friday evening, ICC said, “The ICC has responded to the BCCI to confirm the logo displayed by M S Dhoni in the previous match is not permitted to be worn on his wicket-keeping gloves at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019.”
Even the Indian Army today distanced itself from the issue and clarified that it had nothing to do with it. Talking to reporters after overseeing a passing-out parade at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, GOC-in-C (South-Western Command) Lt Gen Cherish Matheson stated that it was Dhoni’s personal decision to wear the Army insignia on his gloves and the Army had nothing to do with it.
