Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 11 : Shiv Sena (UBT) will protest against the upcoming India-Pakistan cricket match in ongoing Asia Cup 2025, announced party MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday, terming the decision to play against the neighbouring nation as an act of "treason" and "shamelessness".
He further announced that the women's wing of the Sena UBT will launch a 'Sindoor Raksha Abhiyan', a protest campaign where women will take to the streets to express their outrage.
Speaking to reporters, Raut said, "We will protest against this India-Pakistan cricket match. Women will come on the streets and our campaign is 'Sindoor Raksha Abhiyan'.You said that water and blood will not flow together. If water and blood will not flow together, then how will blood and cricket work together?This is treason, shamelessness."
The Sena UBT MP questioned the role of the Sangh Parivar in allowing this match to happen, implying they should prioritise national sentiments over sports. He also questioned how the government can allow cricket matches with Pakistan when the pain, grief and anger of the Pahalgam victims' families still linger.
"Operation Sindoor has not ended yet, it is still going on. The sindoor of our 26 women was wiped off in Pahalgam. Their pain, grief, and anger have not ended. Even today, they are in shock. And you people are going to play cricket with Pakistan in Abu Dhabi. This is shamelessness, this is treason. My question is to the BJP, not to the government. My question is to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, RSS, Bajrang Dal. Do you have any role in this or not?"
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a request to urgently list a plea seeking an interim stay on the cricket match between India and Pakistan, which is scheduled to take place in Dubai on September 14.
While rejecting the request, a bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi stated that the match should go on.
The counsel appearing for the petitioner sought that the plea be heard urgently on Friday as the said match is set to take place on Sunday this week. However, the Court declined the request.