Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli and his Bollywood actor wife Anushka Sharma are facing brutal online roasting after they announced their new fundraiser for the pandemic in the immediate aftermath of the suspension of the IPL.
Sharing their joint video appeal, Virat wrote on Twitter, “Anushka and I have started a campaign on to raise funds for Covid-19 relief, and we would be grateful for your support. Let’s all come together and help those around us in need of our support. I urge you all to join our movement. Link in Bio!”
Anushka and I have started a campaign on @ketto, to raise funds for Covid-19 relief, and we would be grateful for your support.
Let’s all come together and help those around us in need of our support.
I urge you all to join our movement.
Link in Bio! ????#InThisTogether pic.twitter.com/RjpbOP2i4G
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) May 7, 2021
Anushka said in the video, “Hi guys, things have been very tough for India as we fight the pandemic and it really pains to see our country suffer like this.” Virat, for his part, said, “We are grateful to all the people, who are fighting day and night for us. Their dedication is appreciated.”
Kohli and other cricketers, both past and present, such as Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly have been facing severe criticism for their silence even when scores died every day due to the poor handling of the pandemic by the Narendra Modi government. Kohli was seen continuing with his IPL matches even amidst a deadly pandemic and had chosen to not say anything in solidarity of his fans, who suffered in the absence of hospital beds or oxygen.
As expected, many reacted to this video appeal with disgust and urged others to not donate to their fundraiser.
PLZZ don’t donate any kind of money to these types of sarkari chatukaar.plzz donate directly to the ground level NGOs and people.@imVkohli @AnushkaSharma https://t.co/qin2yAQ5it
— Mohd Sufi Saif Gaur ???????????? (@padhanji786) May 7, 2021
Do not trust these cheerleaders from Bollywood, who still dance to @narendramodi ‘s tunes. Please donate directly to states/NGOs ???????? https://t.co/IofczJR7B3
— Vidya (@VidyaKrishnan) May 7, 2021
Don’t fall for this
Donate directly.
These funds will end up in the black hole called PM Cares. https://t.co/1MlaSTMjb3— Shivangi शिवांगी شیوانگی (@Shivangiyadav) May 7, 2021
Nah that’s ok.
Your proximity to the PM makes us not trust you to use the funds honestly.
I also urge anyone reading to seriously consider not donating through this fundraiser. Find a trustworthy local organization working on ground or just donate through Red Cross.
— Sufyan???? (@PsyOpValkyrie) May 7, 2021
Indian celebrities were caught napping even when foreign cricketers such as Pat Cummins and Bret Lee had decided to donate towards the pandemic. Cummins had first said that he would donate $50,000 to PM Cares Fund. He had later changed his mind and decided to donate his money to the relief efforts initiated by Cricket Australia.
