As India and Pakistan prepare to face off in Dubai in the Asia Cup, strong voices of opposition have emerged from Shimla, where both locals and visiting tourists largely condemned cricketing and sporting ties with Pakistan, citing terrorism and strained diplomatic relations.
Sharpening his attacks, Prime Minister Modi further accused Congress of not standing with the Indian armed forces, adding that the opposition party's agenda is solely focused on propagating lies coming from Pakistan.
Indian Film and Television Directors' Association (IFTDA) president Ashoke Pandit strongly opposed the match, calling it a "black day" for the country and accusing organisers of "insensitivity."
Union Minister Manohar Lal defended the move to play a cricket match against Pakistan during the Asia Cup 2025, and said that the game and Operation Sindoor are two different issues.
The clash between two arch-rivals, India and Pakistan, will take place on Sunday. Usually a highly anticipated contest during Asia Cup/ICC events due to the absence of bilateral series between the two nations since 2013, has faced immense opposition this time from the political front. Fans a
Former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh and Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur on Saturday said that during this hour of disaster, the Prime Minister himself has visited Himachal Pradesh but no ruling party leaders are among the public.