BJP criticises members of NRI Kerala community after Shahid Afridi seen at event in Dubai, organisers say he came uninvited

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], May 31 (ANI): An uncalled-for appearance by former Pakistani cricket star Shahid Afridi at an event organised by a section of the NRI Malayali community in Dubai has drawn the ire of several people, including the Kerala Unit of the BJP.
Referring to a news article from Pakistani news website Geo News, K Surendran, the former Kerala BJP president K Surendran has criticised the members of the NRI Kerala community.
"What can we call the Malayali organisation that brought Pakistani cricketers and organised a celebration in Dubai, anything other than traitors? Shahid Afridi is the one who justified the terrorist attack in Pahalgam and mocked India. If they want to bring Afridi, who spat venom against India while in Pakistan, and make him give a speech, then it is certain that the organisers of this are not small-time people", K Surendran said in his 'X' post.
K Surendran stated that the organisers have insulted the Pahalgam attack victims and the soldiers who lost their lives in achieving a "proud" victory against Pakistan.
"They have insulted the Indians who were martyred in Pahalgam and the soldiers who died heroically to achieve a proud victory against Pakistan. We can be ashamed and hang our heads in shame that these are Malayalis who committed a mistake that the Indian people will never forgive", K Surendran's 'X' post further read.
In videos that are viral on social media, Afridi and Umar Gul have been seen at the event that was held on May 25. However, an official statement from the event organisers, Cochin University B-Tech Alumni Association, UAE Chapter (since 2007), claims that the cricketers were at the event venue to attend another event and arrived at their event unannounced.
According to the event organisers, Shahid Afridi came to the PAD centre in Dubai to attend the Guinness World Records holding UAE Flag on 25 May 2025, and he made an appearance at the Ormachuvadukal Season 2 without any invitation because it was held at the same venue on 25 May 2025.
Afridi has been a vocal critic of India and has been guilty of spewing venom against the Indian Armed Forces. He had indulged in the same behaviour after India mounted Operation Sindoor after the Pahalgam attack.
In the aftermath of the attack, the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7. The Indian forces launched precision strikes on nine terror hideouts deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). (ANI)