Congress stages protests in major MP cities against alleged neglect of farmers
State Congress Chief Jitu Patwari led a road blockade and main demonstration at the Rojwas toll plaza in the Shajapur district.
Ahead of the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash in the Asia Cup 2025, tensions are high in Uttar Pradesh, with public sentiment sharply divided over the decision to allow the match following the recent Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.
In Lucknow, the NSUI (National Students’ Union of India), the student wing of the Congress party, staged a fierce protest in Hazratganj, raising slogans of “Pakistan Murdabad” and “BCCI Murdabad.” Demonstrators carried an effigy of BCCI and smeared it with black ink before attempting to set it on fire. Police intervened before the effigy could be fully burned, leading to scuffles between protestors and police personnel.
Advertisement
NSUI vice president Aryan Mishra said, “We have protested by blackening the effigy of BCCI. The funeral pyre of Pahalgam had not even cooled down and cricket started with the Pakistanis. The India-Pakistan match is shameful and condemnable”.
Advertisement
Earlier on Saturday, members of the Chhatra Panchayat, a student organization from Lucknow University, also held demonstrations demanding the resignation of ICC Chairman Jay Shah, accusing him of disrespecting national sentiment by allowing the match to proceed. The Samajwadi Party’s youth wing is also expected to join the protests.
On the other hand, groups like the Vishwa Hindu Raksha Parishad organized special prayers and havans (ritual fire offerings) for India’s victory, drawing parallels with Operation Sindoor, where Indian forces reportedly inflicted heavy losses on terror camps across the border.
“Just like we crushed Pakistan in Operation Sindoor, we will defeat them on the cricket field,” said one of the participants.
In Varanasi, cricket fans conducted special rituals on the banks of the Ganga, holding bats and national flags, and performing aarti (prayer) for India’s success. “This match is not just about cricket. It’s about national pride,” said one devotee.
However, the anger is not limited to student groups and political organizations. Aishanya Dwivedi, widow of Shubham Dwivedi, who was killed in the Pahalgam attack that claimed 26 lives, openly condemned the decision to play the match.
Speaking to mediapersons, she said, “BCCI has no emotions. Our husbands, sons, and brothers were martyred, and they are entertaining us with cricket against Pakistan. I appeal to everyone to boycott this match. Don’t watch it on TV either.”
The Islamic Center of India has also called for a boycott of the match. Spokesperson Maulana Sufiyan Nizami said, “The entire country is mourning. This match is an insult to the families who lost their loved ones in the Pahalgam attack. Cricket and business cannot be more important than national honour.”
Responding to the uproar, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya acknowledged the public sentiment but pointed to the compulsions of international cricket.
“No Indian wants a match with Pakistan. But in multi-nation tournaments like the Asia Cup, we are bound to face them. The controversy around this is unnecessary and politically motivated,” he said.
Advertisement
