On the eve of the high-voltage India–Pakistan Asia Cup clash, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) intensified its protest against the match, arguing that playing cricket with Pakistan was insensitive in light of the recent Pahalgam attack. In several parts of Delhi, party leaders and workers staged demonstrations, burning effigies symbolising Pakistani cricketers and calling upon citizens to boycott the game. The protests echoed AAP’s central claim that sport should not take precedence over national mourning and that proceeding with the match amounted to disregarding the pain of grieving families.
Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj said on Sunday that one hotel owner in the capital responded to the party’s appeal by halting the live screening midway. Sharing a video of AAP MLA Kuldeep Kumar leaving the venue with supporters waving Indian flags and chanting “Pakistan murdabad,” Bharadwaj praised the hotelier’s decision, remarking that the hotelier showed more “sense” than the BJP-led central government. Bharadwaj also posted images of AAP’s protests at Connaught Place, where members claimed the match undermined India’s honour and disrespected public sentiment.
Linking the issue directly with the tragedy in Pahalgam, AAP leaders insisted that allowing cricket ties with Pakistan diminished the sacrifices of the victims’ families. “This is a gross humiliation of our women who lost their husbands in the Pahalgam attack, but still our central leadership is going ahead with the India-Pakistan cricket match,” Bharadwaj told the media. He warned earlier that AAP activists would expose any outlets screening the game, underlining the party’s call for a complete boycott.
Former Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal amplified the criticism, declaring on social media that playing the match was a “betrayal of the nation.” He accused the government of ignoring public anger and dishonouring national sentiment. Kejriwal went further to allege external influence, questioning whether the decision to proceed was made under pressure from former U.S. President Donald Trump. “Is this also being done under Trump’s pressure? How much will you bow down to Trump?” he asked, intensifying the political charge.
A day before the game, Bharadwaj had already sharpened the attack, accusing Pakistan’s players of mocking Indian widows and condemning the BJP government for enabling a match despite such provocations. He described the move as “shameful” and claimed it exposed the government’s insensitivity. As the match day approached, AAP framed the cricket tie not as a sporting contest but as a moral and political issue, demanding that national honour and emotional solidarity take precedence over international sports diplomacy.
