‘BCCI can still show that…': Aaditya Thackeray renews boycott calls hours before India vs Pakistan match
Aaditya Thackeray said, “The BCCI can still prove that it isn’t anti-national. Do 2 points really matter to the best team in the world?”
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray renewed his attack on the BJP and the BCCI ahead of India’s Asia Cup match against Pakistan, questioning the decision to proceed with the game.
In a lengthy post on X, Thackeray said, “The match can be boycotted even today, even now. The @BCCI can still show India that it belongs to India, and not to greed of money. The BCCI can still prove that it isn’t anti-national. Do 2 points really matter to the best team in the world?”
The comments came as Indian national cricket team is scheduled to take on Pakistan today at 8:00 pm in Dubai, in its first international encounter following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.
Also Read | Why India vs Pakistan cricket match is facing boycott calls? Explained
Despite calls from opposition parties to boycott the match, the Centre has given no objection to India playing against Pakistan in multi-nation tournaments.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, in a strongly worded statement, said, “Nothing can come beyond boycotting a country that harbours terrorists. What a shame to be knowing all of this and still going ahead with the game. Today, we miss a Union Government that would have strongly come down on such anti-national acts. Sadly, we see BJP having changed its ideology and definition of patriotism,” he added.
He urged players to consider the families affected by terrorism: “Those playing today on the field, must realise that they are playing against a country from where terrorists came into ours, massacred innocent lives. Think of the families who lost their loved ones in Pahalgam.”
Victims’ families express anguish
Talking to news agency ANI, Sawan Parmar, whose father and brother were among the 26 killed in Pahalga, said Operation Sindoor seemed futile in light of the match. “…When we got to know the India vs Pakistan match is being organised, we were very disturbed."
"No sort of connection should remain with Pakistan… If you want to play the match, bring me back my 16-year-old brother who was shot with so many bullets… Operation Sindoor seems to be a waste now…” he added.
Kiran Yatish Parmar, Sawan’s mother, questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the match, saying the wounds of the victim families have not healed. She asked why the match was being conducted if Operation Sindoor had not yet concluded.
Protests staged in Mumbai
Women workers of Shiv Sena (UBT) staged a protest in Mumbai on Sunday, using ‘sindoor’ to express their opposition to India’s participation in the match against Pakistan.
The party had earlier announced demonstrations across Maharashtra. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had said that women workers would send sindoor from every house in the state to PM Modi as a symbolic protest.
Thackeray criticised the government, alleging that it was mixing politics and business with patriotism.
