Mumbai: As the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan clash in the Asia Cup 2025 approaches on September 21, political tensions are flaring in Rajasthan.
The Rajasthan Congress Sports Cell, led by Ameen Pathan, has issued a stern warning against public screenings of the match, calling it an insult to the martyrs of the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.
In a fiery statement following a meeting at the Congress headquarters in Jaipur, Pathan declared that the party would hold statewide protests on match day. He urged theatre and restaurant owners not to telecast the match, warning of possible direct action if they defy the advisory. “If persuasion fails, we will not hesitate to take strict steps, including breaking screens and teaching violators a lesson,” he said.
The Congress leader emphasised that watching a cricket match with Pakistan, especially so soon after the loss of Indian lives in terror incidents allegedly linked to Pakistan, is a disrespect to national sacrifice.
Pathan echoed the sentiments expressed by several Opposition leaders in recent weeks, stating that blood and cricket cannot coexist, just as blood and water cannot flow together.
The party has also praised Indian players for not shaking hands with Pakistani cricketers during the previous match, calling it a symbolic gesture of patriotism. “What the government should have done, our players have shown through their actions,” Pathan added, taking a dig at the central leadership.
The Congress Sports Cell plans to mobilise workers from other wings of the party for Sunday’s protest, aiming to send a strong message to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the central government. They have demanded that India boycott matches against Pakistan, regardless of tournament format, citing national pride and public sentiment.
This is not the first time Rajasthan has witnessed such protests. During the earlier league match between India and Pakistan, Congress workers reportedly damaged LED screens in several locations across the state.
The controversy adds another layer of complexity to the already politically-charged atmosphere surrounding the Asia Cup. While cricket fans eagerly await the high-voltage encounter, the growing chorus of dissent highlights the intersection of sports and national emotion in India’s current geopolitical climate.
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