Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi wants government to block telecast of India vs Pakistan match at Asia Cup
India and Pakistan will play at the group stage on September 14 in Dubai during the Asia Cup
There is much backlash over India's decision to play Pakistan especially after the Pulwama attacks
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Friday wrote a letter to Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw demanding blocking of live telecast of India vs Pakistan match that will take place on September 14 at the Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai. Criticising the decision to go ahead with the match, Chaturvedi said that the money BCCI will make through this clash will not be "just blood money, but cursed money".
She said the Centre's decision to go ahead with cricket matches with Pakistan is totally unacceptable. Recently, the sports ministry said that India and Pakistan would not play bilateral cricket but in multi-nation tournaments, the two can play.
In her letter, Chaturvedi said that the India vs Pakistan match is totally unacceptable to her.
"A parliamentary delegation was sent globally carrying the message of zero tolerance to terrorism of which I was a part too, and this decision of GOI to go ahead with cricket matches against (Pakistan) is totally unacceptable to me and my conscience," she wrote in the letter.
The government had sent multiple cross-party delegations across the world to convey India’s message of zero tolerance against terrorism following the Pahalgam massacre and Operation Sindoor.
Chaturvedi said she was dismayed by the insistence of both the BCCI and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on pushing India's participation in the Asia Cup in the UAE and the match against Pakistan.
"Hiding behind the garb of sportsman spirit to allow the match to happen lacks moral courage to stand against the terror nation," the Rajya Sabha MP asserted.
"Keeping the view of national interest and public sentiment, it is necessary the MeitY (Ministry of Electronics and IT) blocks the live streaming of the India-Pakistan match across all OTT platforms, websites, and apps. Since you also hold the charge of Information & Broadcasting Ministry, I urge you to block broadcasters from telecasting the match live," she said in the letter to Vaishnaw.
Previous boycott incidents
World history is riddled with examples where nations chose principles over sports -- South Africa's boycott during Apartheid, Olympic boycotts across decades, and, most recently, Pakistan's own hockey team refusing to play in India for the Asia Hockey Cup despite all clearances -- exposes the hypocrisy of the Sports Ministry's decision, Chaturvedi pointed out.
She reminded the government of a boycott of the Asia Cricket Cup by Pakistan in 1990-91 over heightened tension between the two neighbours.
"However, the stubbornness to go ahead with promoting this match by BCCI to make money will in truth be not just blood money, but cursed money, as it carried the curse of the coffins of Pahalgam terror attack victims and our men in uniform," she said.
India vs Pakistan at Asia Cup
India and Pakistan will play at the group stage on September 14 in Dubai during the Asia Cup scheduled to start in the UAE from September 9.
The tournament will be held in T20I format.
Shiv Sena's past with India vs Pakistan
Shiv Sena members once stopped an India vs Pakistan match in Mumbai by digging up the pitch. In October 1991, workers from the party vandalized the pitch of Wankhede Stadium which led to the cancellation of the series.
With PTI Inputs
