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AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday lambasted the BJP-led central government for permitting India to play the Asia Cup cricket match against Pakistan amid heightened tensions following the April 22, Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. Owaisi demanded clarity from the ruling party on the "monetary gains compared to the loss of human lives."

"My question to the Chief Minister of Assam, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, and all of them is that do you not have the power to refuse to play a cricket match against Pakistan, which asked for the religion of our 26 citizens in Pahalgam and shot them?"

He also questioned whether the revenue generated from the match is "more valuable" than the lives of the 26 citizens killed in the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir. "We ask the Prime Minister, when you said that blood and water cannot flow together, dialogue and terrorism cannot happen together, then how much money will the BCCI get from one cricket match, Rs 2000 crore, Rs 3000 crore? Is the value of money more than the lives of our 26 citizens?" he said.

 

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"We stood with those 26 citizens yesterday as well, we stand with them today, and we will stand with them tomorrow as well," he added. Numerous opposition leaders have called for a boycott of the cricket match scheduled for later today.

Congress leader Abhishek Dutt criticised India’s participation in the match, urging its cancellation. He argued that the decision contradicts the government’s stance of "no talks with terror". "On one hand, you talk about Operation Sindoor, you say no talks with terror, no trade with terror. Our delegation went to foreign countries. What message are you trying to give by playing a match with Pakistan today?" he said.

 

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AAP leaders on Saturday burnt an effigy labelled as representing Pakistani players, with former minister Saurabh Bharadwaj issuing a public appeal to boycott clubs and restaurants broadcasting the match live. "The Indian government is making cricketers play with such disgusting people who wiped our sisters' sindoor. We'll expose all the clubs and restaurants in Delhi that telecast India-Pakistan matches," he said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi urged the public not to watch the match. "If BCCI and GoI can't call off the match between India and Pakistan, it's high time we, as citizens, boycott viewing the match. Say no to cricket over terror, let us unitedly stand with the 26 families of the Pahalgam terror attack," she wrote in a post on X.

 

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Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray invoked PM Modi’s "water and blood cannot flow together" remark and questioned "how can war and cricket be at the same time". "How can war and cricket be at the same time? They have made a business out of patriotism. They just want money," he said.

Families of the Pahalgam terror attack victims have also called for a boycott of the match. Sawan Parmar, a nephew of one of the victims, said they are "very disturbed" by the match.

"When we got to know that the India vs Pakistan match was 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 said.

 

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Aishanya Dwivedi, whose husband Shubham Dwivedi died in the attack, said it is "wrong" for India to play against Pakistan in the Asia Cup. "It seems that BCCI has no feelings for those 26 people who died in Pahalgam. They don't value it because no one from their family died. Why are the cricketers playing with Pakistan? Players can also take their stand," she said.

BJP reacts

BJP leaders, responding to the mounting criticism, argued that it is "not fair" to oppose the India vs Pakistan cricket match.

 

"Matches used to be played even during the Congress rule. Their patriotism awakens when a match with Pakistan is played. They have been boycotted in trade. We have to fight Pakistan. We fought them on our land and defeated them. We beat them on their soil in Pakistan. We will defeat them on foreign soil, too, where we will play them. We should not withdraw from the field...Pakistani artists came, performed, and earned money here for years," BJP leader Dilip Ghosh said.

Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar stated that the issues of the match and tensions between the two countries are distinct.

"As far as the matter of the India vs Pakistan match, Operation Sindoor, and other things are concerned, nobody will say that the match will happen just by comparing them. But as far as the game is concerned, the game has sentiment, and players also worked hard for it, so it is not fair to oppose it. That's why whatever has been decided has been decided thoughtfully," he said.

The India vs Pakistan Asia Cup cricket match will commence at 8 pm tonight. The match was originally scheduled to take place in India, but the tournament was moved to the UAE amid escalating political tensions between India and Pakistan.

 

Also Read: Boycott calls grow over 'insensitive' India-Pakistan Asia Cup