"His single shopping bill would have more amount than his contribution."
Donations from all quarters have been pouring in ever since PM Modi announced a 21-day curfew in India to combat the spread of coronavirus infection.
After the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced an economic relief package worth Rs 1.7 lakh crore to help the poor tide over financial distress arising due to pan-India lockdown, sportspersons across the country have stepped in to do their bit in helping those in need.
While star sprinter Hima Das donated a month's salary to Assam government, cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar chipped in Rs 25 lakh each to PM and CM's relief funds to assist the worst hit.
Amidst this, India's most celebrated cricketer and veteran Mahendra Singh Dhoni made a contribution of Rs 1 Lakh through a Pune based NGO, PTI reported.
While any and every contribution to help the cause is praiseworthy and equally lauded by netizens, an amount of Rs 1 lakh donation from one of the richest cricketers in the world did not sit well with the Internet.
Dhoni donated 1 lakh for Corona Crisis So I changed the spelling of DONATION to J O K E — Nehr_who (@Nehr_who) March 27, 2020
Mean while M.S.Dhoni donates a huge amount of Rs.1 Lakh #Prabhas — AZAD (@FightForAzadi) March 27, 2020
dhoni donated just 1 lakh?? dude this country gave a lot of love and money to you??? you give 1 lakh in return? — ⁷ (@Iouderthanswift) March 27, 2020
MS Dhoni has donated Rs 1 lakh to support 100 families for 14 days in Pune. His net worth is approximately Rs 800 crores. — Nirmala Tai (@Vishj05) March 26, 2020
Dhoni Donates to Help 100 Poor Families During COVID-19 Lockdown. Net worth - 800 crore Donation - 1 lakh This is meant to support 100 families for 14 days. 100 x 14 x 3 meals = 4200 meals. 1,00,000 / 4200 = 23 bucks per meal. Well done MSD. — Knotty Commander (@KnottyCommander) March 27, 2020
SCA donates 21 lakhs ! but Ms dhoni Only donated 1 lakh https://t.co/RMyM60nuFW — Gowhar (@imSofiGowhar) March 27, 2020
A tweet stating that a 12th grader had donated Rs 2.5 lakh to PM's relief fund was further used by Twitterati to mock Dhoni's contribution.
PM @narendramodi Sir, I am Y. Sanskriti, a class XII student from @LancersSchool You’re doing an exemplary work by leading from the front in the hour of crisis I would like to donate Rs.2.5 lacs fm my savings to #PMRF to support the fight against Corona Pandemic@satyakumar_y pic.twitter.com/GogcH64wAC — Sanskriti (@xsanskriti) March 26, 2020
However, several came in Dhoni's defence and argued that the donation was made only for an NGO and not PM's relief fund.
Dhoni donated that Rs 1 lakh to an NGO. Because target was to collect 12 lakh. He didn't donate to PM/CM relief fund. — Animesh (@HutPaneer19) March 27, 2020
People who have given nothing, and have also not played for the country, are shaming Dhoni for giving 1 lakh. — manikmahna (@manikmahna) March 27, 2020
#MSDhoni Donates To Help Sustain 100 Poor Families In Pune During Coronavirus Lockdown MS Dhoni has donated Rs 1 Lakh on crowdfunding website Ketto to the Mukul Madhav Foundation. Dhoni’s donation will support 100 families for 14 days during this lockdown. #IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/IlwXZb6bO1 — Subhayan Chakraborty (@CricSubhayan) March 26, 2020
Dhoni is one of the richest cricketers in the world with a net worth that currently stands at an estimated $170 million, as reported by Celebrity Net Worth. The cricketer was No. 5 spot on the 2019 Forbes India Celebrity 100 list.
Following this, Sakshi Singh Dhoni, cricketer's wife, in a cryptic tweet, hit back at netizens mocking Dhoni and urged to refrain from spreading "false" news.
I request all media houses to stop carrying out false news at sensitive times like these ! Shame on You ! I wonder where responsible journalism has disappeared !— Sakshi Singh 🇮🇳❤️ (@SaakshiSRawat) March 27, 2020
Meanwhile, PV Sindhu on Thursday donated a sum of Rs 10 lakh to combat the spread of coronavirus. Sindhu has donated Rs 5 lakh each to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Chief Minister Relief Funds in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic. Former Indian skipper and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly donated free rice worth Rs 50 lakh.
Internationally, tennis great Roger Federer and his wife Mirka have donated 1 million Swiss Francs (approx Rs 7.7 crore) to the most vulnerable families fighting coronavirus in Switzerland.