Shiv Sena protests India-Pak Asia Cup match: TV smashed, Sindoor campaign launched in Maharashtra | VIDEO

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) members on Sunday raised slogans and even smashed a television set as part of their protests in various parts of Maharashtra against the India-Pakistan Asia Cup cricket match scheduled to take place in Dubai.

Traditional rivals India and Pakistan are set to face each other in Dubai, in what will be the first meeting between the two sides since the military conflict in May. That conflict followed Indian strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan-controlled territories after 26 people, most of them tourists, were killed in a heinous terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22.

The Indian government permits the national team to compete against Pakistan in multi-national tournaments such as the World Cup and Asia Cup, but has prohibited any bilateral sporting engagements.

On Saturday, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray described the cricket match between India and Pakistan in Dubai as an affront to national sentiment. The former Chief Minister of Maharashtra had also urged the public not to watch the match and said that women members of his party would collect sindoor (vermilion) and send it to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Following his statement, the Shiv Sena (UBT) on Sunday launched the ‘Majha Kunku Majha Desh’ campaign in Mumbai.

“We will send these items (sindoor and other items used by married women) through official channels, via post, not only from Mumbai, but from across Maharashtra to the Prime Minister’s Office,” Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar told reporters.

“We will tell the Prime Minister that those responsible for the deaths of the husbands of our sisters (a reference to the Pahalgam attack) should be brought to justice,” she added.

Pednekar, along with the party’s South Mumbai MP Arvind Sawant, held a protest near Currey Road, where slogans were raised and placards displayed in opposition to the match.

In Kandivali, party workers smashed a television set in the middle of a road. Demonstrations were also held in other areas of the city.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray, son of Uddhav Thackeray, said the match could still be boycotted.

“The @BCCI can still show India that it belongs to India, and not to the greed of money. The BCCI can still prove that it isn't anti-national,” he posted on X.

Referring to the players, Aaditya Thackeray said those taking to the field must recognise that they are playing against a country from which terrorists came and massacred innocent people.

“Think of the families who lost their loved ones in Pahalgam. Nothing can come before boycotting a country that harbours terrorists. What a shame to know all of this and still go ahead with the game,” he said.

“Today, we miss a Union Government that would have taken a firm stand against such anti-national acts,” the MLA added.

Shiv Sena (UBT) secretary and Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) member Milind Narvekar alleged that the decision to hold the India-Pakistan match in the Asia Cup was taken without the knowledge of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“I think the decision to play these matches was taken by keeping Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the dark,” said Narvekar, who is a member of the MCA’s apex council.

He was responding to a question during protests staged by his party against the India-Pakistan match.

Shiv Sena (UBT) workers also held a demonstration against the match in neighbouring Pune.