Shiv Sena (UBT) protests against those watching India-Pakistan match

While Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray directed all party workers to aggressively protest against the match, MP Sanjay Raut warned clubs and restaurants in Mumbai not to hold screenings of it and also urged “nationalists” to inform the party on social media if this warning was flouted. MLC Anil Parab also threatened a “Shiv Sena-style response” (read violence) if such screenings happened

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) women activists and leaders on Sunday held a protest called ‘My Sindoor, My Country’ across Maharashtra to condemn the fact that India was playing a cricket match with Pakistan in Dubai despite the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. “Think of the families who lost their loved ones in Pahalgam. Sadly, we see that the BJP has changed its ideology and definition of patriotism,” said MLA Aaditya Thackeray.

ShivSena (UBT) workers protested against the India vs Pakistan cricket match with the slogan "Maje kuku maza desh" outside Shiv Sena Bhavan, Shivaji Park, Dadar on Sunday. (Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo)

While Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray directed all party workers to aggressively protest against the match, MP Sanjay Raut warned clubs and restaurants in Mumbai not to hold screenings of it and also urged “nationalists” to inform the party on social media if this warning was flouted. MLC Anil Parab also threatened a “Shiv Sena-style response” (read violence) if such screenings happened. Amid this, police security was beefed up at the Wankhede stadium and the Marine Drive area, the pitch at the former having been dug up decades ago by Shiv Sainiks during a similar protest.

Not just clubs and restaurants, Sena (UBT) members threatened individuals too. On Sunday, at a protest at Vasant Sagar Building in Kandivali East, they openly declared that they would smash the TV sets of those who watched the India-Pakistan match. Amid the chaos, the Samta Nagar police issued a Preventive Action Notice to Sena (UBT) member Anand Dubey, who had also issued this threat.

The prevention notice directed Dubey to refrain from making any further threats that could create fear in the public. The police told him to ensure that he did not disturb the peace and tranquillity of the neighbourhood and to cooperate with the local authorities and police personnel. Failure to comply with this notice, they said, would result in strict legal action, including the registration of a criminal case and detention.

Meanwhile, Sena (UBT) leaders, including Thackeray, lambasted the Mahayuti government and PM Narendra Modi for “allowing” the match, which is part of the Asia Cup series. While former mayor Kishori Pednekar said the PM had launched Operation Sindoor but used it for publicity, MP Arvind Sawant mocked Modi over his ‘Not blood but hot sindoor flows through my veins’ statement, saying that the sindoor had clearly cooled down. Sawant also pointed out that after the Pahalgam terror attacks, Modi returned to India from his trip abroad but instead of visiting Kashmir went to Bihar which goes to the polls this year. MLC Milind Narvekar, however, claimed that Modi was kept in the dark about the match.

The ruling parties launched a counter-attack, with BJP Mumbai president Amit Satam saying that Thackeray was playing double-standard politics. “He is opposing the India-Pakistan match but is silent about his close aide and MLC Milind Narvekar being a member of the Mumbai Cricket Association. Why didn’t he ask Narvekar about his views on this match?” Satam said. Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, on his part, called the agitation the “protests of opportunistic patriots”.