The future India-Pakistan Asia Cup cricket match has kicked up shrill outrage, with opposition parties condemning it as disrespectful to the victims of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack during which 26 civilians-predominantly tourists were butchered by Pakistani terrorists. The leaders say that the game of cricket with Pakistan is an insult to the sacrifice of soldiers manning the borders.
Uddhav Thackeray Leads Boycott Calls
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray called for “Sindoor protests throughout Maharashtra, calling on citizens to skip the match. “Until terror ceases, we should not keep any relations with Pakistan,” he stated in Mumbai, terming the game ‘an insult to national sentiments’. He asked if the government had ceased Operation Sindoor and made a pitch for ‘patriots not to watch the contest’.
Other Opposition Voices
AAP politician Saurabh Bharadwaj and AAP workers burnt an effigy of Pakistani players in Delhi. “This is humiliating our women who lost their husbands in the Pahalgam attack,” he said to journalists, afterwards tweeting on X, “Pakistan’s cricket players are insulting our widows in such a filthy, disgusting manner, and we will play cricket with them. Shame on the BJP government.”
Aishanya, the widow of businessman Shubham Dwivedi, who lost his life in the attack, described the decision as ‘deeply insensitive’, alleging that the BCCI was overlooking people’s suffering: Their martyrdom means nothing to the BCCI. Perhaps because none of theirs were lost.” Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and AIMIM leaders also condemned the match.
ALSO READ: “Jitne Sambandh Ban Sakte Hain, Banne Do”: Zayed Khan on India-Pakistan Asia Cup Clash
Shinde Sena and Government Response
Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena rebutted Thackeray, with MP Naresh Mhaske declaring, “Thackeray, having ditched Hindutva for power and singing the praises of Pakistan, cannot suddenly oppose such alliances.” NCP leader and Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar observed it was only natural that opinions would vary in a nation of 140 crore.
BJP member and former sports minister Anurag Thakur explained why India must play. “If they don’t, they will be eliminated,” he said, saying that India ‘won’t play bilateral tournaments with Pakistan until Pakistan stops terrorist attacks on India’.
