How Amit Shah got us to burst firecrackers in Pakistan
As a Pakistani nothing hurts you more than a cricket defeat at the hands of India. Like previous World Cups, the 2015 Pakistan-India encounter was no different for Pakistani cricket fans that lost the "mauka" of winning and ending that losing run.
Nothing changed for the "Mauka Mauka" man in Karachi and he never got a chance to burst the firecrackers. The box of firecrackers was put back quietly as it was in 1992, 1996, 1999, 2003 and 2011.
That was the last time when firecrackers became the discourse of national interest in Pakistan.
Like the Pakistani cricket fans, the popular Mauka Mauka campaign seems to have left an impact on Amit Shah as well. The president of the ruling BJP in an election rally in Raxaul, Bihar said: "If the Bharatiya Janata Party is defeated in the Bihar Assembly polls and does not form a government, firecrackers will be burst in Pakistan."
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Silver lining, at least this time no one was stopping Pakistanis from setting off firecrackers. Defeat of the BJP was the one and only condition that Amit Shah gave.
As the results tally on Sunday showed the BJP losing badly to Nitish Kumar-Lalu Prasad Yadav's coalition, responses from the Pakistani twitterati also started pouring in.
Stating that the Bihar election result wasn't of any significance to Pakistan, the former US ambassador, senator Sherry Rehman tweeted:
Crackers? Pakistan would care if any of this was about cricket. Otherwise a #Bihar loss or win for BJP is more imp to India than anyone else
— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) November 8, 2015Ayesha Siddiqa, security analyst and author, analysed how people saw Bihar elections keenly from varied perspective. "The liberals were relieved, hawks unhappy for several reasons and many happy that anti-Pak rhetoric didn't pay off," she tweeted.
@suhasinih @AliDayan but Suhasnih different ppl watching Indian elections keenly from varied perspective
— Ayesha Siddiqa (@iamthedrifter) November 8, 2015@suhasinih liberals relieved, Hawks unhappy 4 several reasons & many happy that anti-Pak rhetoric didn't pay off
— Ayesha Siddiqa (@iamthedrifter) November 8, 2015Appreciating the Indian electoral system and the conduct of the candidates after the elections, Omar R Quraishi, a journalist based in Karachi tweeted, "Pakistan can learn a thing or two from India when it comes to holding elections and in accepting their results."
Pakistan can learn a thing or two from India when it comes to holding elections and in accepting their results #BiharResults
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) November 8, 2015"I wish Imran Khan could also learn from his ideal Nitish Kumar, the tactic to defeat the government in the center," tweeted Zeeshan Awan.
"BJP conceded defeat in Bihar election. BJP is not crying like PTI of rigging election. Imran Khan and PTI should learn how to accept defeat," Syeda Mateen
With a mix of some rather interesting opinions #Bihar-#BJP were top trends throughout the day in Pakistan.
Farrukh Hussaini, a blogger based in Islamabad tweeted how Lalu is inseparable from Bihar:
Jab tak Samosay main Aalu Rahay ga - #Bihar main Lalu Rahay ga - #BiharElections #BiharResults #BJP #India #Modi
— #SaveNimr (@FarrukhHussaini) November 8, 2015"Now I understand the true meaning of ghair ki shadee mein Abdullah dewana," tweeted Afia Salam a freelance journalist.
While some believed that Amit Shah was absolutely right and suggested there was a certain conspiracy behind the BJP defeat and Pakistan's "jubilation".
"Amit shah was right "if we lose crackers will burst in Pakistan," tweeted Wajahat.
Amit shah was right "if we lose crackers will burst in Pakistan" #BiharElections ???????????????? pic.twitter.com/VKG4vo3Udh
— wajahat ( वजाहत) (@wajahat42) November 8, 2015Yes, Pakistan is celebrating Modi's defeat in Bihar. Top trend in Pakistan! Unbelievable!
Yes, Pakistan is celebrating Modi's defeat in Bihar. Top trend in Pakistan! Unbelievable! pic.twitter.com/gR5Dn3Yw2j
— हम भारत के लोग (@India_Policy) November 8, 2015Who would have thought that there was still a 'mauka' for Pakistani fireworks in 2015? Now if you could excuse me, I have to go and set-off firecrackers after BJP's defeat!