India vs Pakistan match triggers BJP-Uddhav Thackeray clash

The India versus Pakistan match scheduled to be held on Sunday evening (September 14) has become a fresh bone of contention between the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the BJP, with the saffron party lashing out at Uddhav Thackeray over his attack on the Centre over the match and questioned his party’s alliance with Congres,s which it blamed for emboldening Pakistan in the past.

The arch rivals will face each other later in Dubai in what is set to be the first match between the two sides since the escalation of the border conflict in May, when India launched strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan after 26 tourists were killed in the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22.

As per the Centre’s new sports policy, India will not play in bilateral contests with Pakistan, but will continue to face them in multilateral tournaments such as the ongoing Asia Cup and ICC events.

Also Read: India vs Pakistan Asia Cup: Boycott calls from Opposition, Pahalgam victims’ kin

BJP scoffs at Uddhav’s ‘sindoor’ protest

Lashing out at Thackeray, Maharashtra BJP's chief spokesperson Keshav Upadhye said the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief,who had accused the BJP of doing business in the name of patriotism, should first answer whether the "sindoor (vermilion) of Mumbaikars" was any less than the 'sindoor' being sent by his party workers to the Prime Minister's Office.

"After the 26/11 attacks, the Indian Army was ready, but the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Congress got scared, which emboldened Pakistan. Today, the same Congress has become Uddhav Thackeray's most favoured party, while he finds PM Narendra Modi, who taught Pakistan a lesson on its soil, unacceptable," Upadhye said in a post on X.

Also Read: Why India keeps winning against Pakistan, explains Rashid Latif

Dares Uddhav to question Rahul

Upadhye also asked why Thackeray remained silent after the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai.

"You keep shouting 'Mumbai is ours', but why did you remain quiet after 26/11? Do you have the courage to ask (Congress MP) Rahul Gandhi questions about it?" he asked.

The BJP spokesperson further alleged that under the Congress-led government in the past, Pakistan continued to execute conspiracies across the country, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, and Mumbai too became a victim.

"Congress gave Pakistan the 'Most Favoured Nation' status. Now, that very Congress is Thackeray's most favoured party. In truth, Congress is the root cause of the Pakistan problem, and Thackeray has embraced it," alleged Upadhye.

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What Uddhav said

On Saturday, Thackeray recalled his father, late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray's stand, saying, "If blood and water cannot flow together, then how can cricket and blood (go) together?" He said his party's women activists would collect sindoor and send it to the prime minister to remind the government of its responsibilities.

Referring to Bal Thackeray's meeting with Pakistani cricketer Javed Miandad at Matoshree years ago, Uddhav said his father had categorically told Miandad that there could be no cricket until terror attacks from Pakistan ceased.

"Till the time terror does not stop, we shouldn't maintain any relations with Pakistan," the former Maharashtra chief minister asserted.

(With agency inputs)