In a dramatic protest against the ongoing Asia Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan, members of a right-wing group in Meerut staged a demonstration by smashing a television set at Commissioner Chowk. The protest was organized by the All India Hindu Suraksha Sangathan, whose members gathered to raise anti-Pakistan slogans and demand that the government sever all sporting ties with the neighboring country.
The protest reflects a wave of public anger and sentiment following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam and India’s subsequent military response, “Operation Sindoor.” According to a statement from the group, playing cricket with a nation they accuse of sponsoring terrorism is a “disgrace to Indian martyrs.”
Sachin Sirohi, an office-bearer of the All India Hindu Suraksha Sangathan, told PTI, “Playing cricket with Pakistan is an insult to Indian martyrs. Pakistani terrorists are killing our people after asking their religion, but we are playing cricket over their blood. This is not patriotism but an insult to our martyrs.”
The group chanted slogans like “Nahi dekhenge match cricket ka, nahi dekhenge” (We won’t watch the match) and urged the public to boycott the game. The protest comes amid a larger national debate about the appropriateness of the cricket match, which is the first sporting event between the two nations since the recent military conflict.
While the BCCI and the Indian government have justified the match by citing a new policy that distinguishes between bilateral and multilateral sporting events, many citizens and political groups have vocally opposed the decision. Similar protests have been organized in other parts of the country, with some groups calling for a complete cessation of all ties with Pakistan until cross-border terrorism ends.