'Aaditya Thackeray will wear burqa...': Nitesh Rane's jibe amid India-Pak match row
Scoffing at Aaditya Thackeray, Rane also said that his voice would help him conceal his identity.
Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane slammed Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday for opposing the upcoming India vs Pakistan match in the Asia Cup 2025 and said that he would watch the match wearing a ‘burqa'.
"Aaditya Thackeray will watch India-Pakistan match secretly, wearing a burqa..." Rane said while talking to the media.
Scoffing at Thackeray, Rane also said that his voice would help him conceal his identity. “If he wears a burqa and talks in that voice, who would know it is Aaditya Thackeray,” he said.
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He goes on to say ‘Pakistan zindabad’ in an imitating voice, seemingly implying that is what Thackeray would say.
Rane's remarks come after Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray's criticism of the upcoming India vs Pakistan match in the Asia Cup 2025 scheduled for September 14, given the recent tensions between the two countries.
Thackeray had asked if “blood and cricket can flow together,” while referring to the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.
‘Insult to national sentiments’
Several opposition parties, including AIMIM and Shiv Sena (UBT), among others, have also slammed the BJP and the BCCI over the match.
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Earlier in the day, Aaditya Thackeray's father Uddhav Thackeray called the match an insult to to national sentiments and the soldiers who have been martyred in the line of duty.
"This cricket match is an insult to national sentiments. Should we be playing cricket with Pakistan while our soldiers sacrifice their lives on the borders?" Uddhav Thackeray said.
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"This was (undivided) Shiv Sena chief's (Bal Thackeray) stand. If blood and water cannot flow together, then how can cricket and blood (go) together?" PTI quoted him as saying.
Uddhav also questioned Centre's position on Pakistan. "You were saying that Pakistan is spreading terror, and now you are playing cricket with the same country. Is Pakistan a terror state or not? Is it our enemy or not? Soldiers are getting martyred, and these people play cricket. This is not good," he had said.
He had also announced ‘sindoor’ protests across Maharashtra to oppose the upcoming match.
(With inputs from PTI)
