A political firestorm has erupted in West Bengal over the Asia Cup match between India and Pakistan, with the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the BJP locked in a war of words.
Krishnanagar MP and TMC leader Mahua Moitra took a jab at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in a post on X Saturday. “Blood & water can’t flow together to Pakistan But clearly blood & cricket can. Especially when @AmitShah’s “merit-only” son’s fortunes depend on it. May the best team win,” Moitra posted.
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She was referring to PM Modi’s remark that “blood and water won’t flow together,” with respect to the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and the country’s firm stance against cross-border terrorism in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack.
Moitra’s post also targeted International Cricket Council (ICC) chairperson Jay Shah, the son of Amit Shah, as the Opposition has been demanding a boycott of the Asia Cup match between India and Pakistan, which will begin at 8 pm Sunday at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Moitra’s criticism of Amit Shah is not new. Recently, she triggered a controversy in West Bengal, prompting the BJP to file a police complaint against her.
Moitra told mediapersons that Amit Shah had failed to check infiltrators on the borders when the Central government handles the Border Security Force. She questioned whether the Prime Minister is saying that infiltrators from other countries are coming into our country and taking away our land, then whose responsibility is it to protect the borders and stop the infiltrators.
“If we don’t have anyone to protect our borders, if people from another country are entering every day, if our citizens complain that infiltrators are eyeing our mothers and sisters and snatching our lands, then the first thing you should do is cut Amit Shah’s head and put it on your table,“ she had said.
Now, her latest statement has fuelled a new round of political sparring between the TMC and the BJP, setting a charged backdrop for the highly anticipated cricket match. Bengal’s Minister of State for Sports and TMC MLA Manoj Tiwari also weighed in, stating that “playing against Pakistan means disrespecting those killed in the terrorist attack in Pahalgam”.
The BJP, however, has been quick to defend its position. Senior Bengal BJP leader Dilip Ghosh dismissed the criticism, pointing out that matches between the two nations have a long history.
“Matches used to take place even during the time of Congress. When the match is between India and Pakistan, suddenly some people start showing love for their country,” he said.
Ghosh added, “We would not leave Pakistan anywhere, we will defeat them on the field, off the field… India will not go and play a match in Pakistan, that is certain. Cricket is an emotion in our country.”
The government’s stance is that the Asia Cup match is part of an international tournament, which makes participation mandatory to avoid elimination, he said.
“If someone wants to get publicity in the Pakistani media, it is their choice. Today’s India is new India. In two days, India compelled Pakistan to bow down. The BJP doesn’t want to do politics in Sports. India has its own path, and we follow our country’s own culture,” BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya told the media.