Shiv Sena (UBT) to protest against India-Pakistan cricket match tomorrow in Delhi

Shiv Sena (UBT) Delhi chief Mangat Ram Munde announced in a written statement.

Earlier today, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray opposed India's participation in the match against Pakistan, alleging that the government was mixing politics and business with patriotism.

Uddhav Thackeray said, "Our Prime Minister said blood and water cannot flow together, then how can blood and cricket flow together. How can war and cricket be at the same time?... They have done business in patriotism. The business of patriotism is only for money. They are going to play the match tomorrow also because they want all the money they will get from that match."

Aam Aadmi Party Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj accused the government of ignoring terrorism for revenue, asking, "how cricket and terrorism could go on together".

Speaking to ANI, Bharadwaj said, "Sindoor of 26 women was wiped off. Terrorists targeted and killed them. Pakistani cricketers made derogatory posts about our sisters. How can our team play Cricket with such people? How can the Government do this? We used to say that trade and terrorism can't go together, that water and terrorism can't go together, that talks and terrorism can't go together. So, how can Cricket and terrorism go on together?"

Meanwhile, BJP MP Anurag Thakur has said that while participation in multinational tournaments organised by the ACC or ICC is a "compulsion" for nations, India does not play bilateral tournaments with Pakistan and will continue to avoid them until terrorist attacks on the country stop, ahead of the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 match between the two sides.

Addressing reporters, Thakur said, "When multinational tournaments are organised by ACC or ICC, it becomes a compulsion, a necessity for nations to participate. If they don't do that, they will be eliminated from the tournament, they will have to forfeit the match and the other team will get the points... But India doesn't play bilateral tournaments with Pakistan. We have made this decision for years that India won't play bilateral tournaments with Pakistan until Pakistan stops terrorist attacks on India."

The Indian national cricket team will take on Pakistan on Sunday for the first time in an international cricket match after the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.

Ahead of the clash, there had been a widespread demand from the opposition to boycott the match. However, the Centre had issued no objection from the Indian team to playing against Pakistan in any multi-nation tournament. (ANI)