MP Sanjay Raut Alleges Jay Shah Pressurised Team India to Play Against Pakistan
The Rajya Sabha MP also claimed that a betting worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore was placed on India-Pakistan match.
Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday alleged that Jay Shah, president of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and son of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, pressurised the Indian cricket team to play against Pakistan in the ongoing Asia Cup tournament. The team was reluctant to participate in the high-stakes match in Dubai but was compelled to do so under pressure from Shah, he claimed.
“We have had direct and indirect conversations with some cricketers. They are opposed to the game and even informed the BCCI about it, but are being forced under the pressure of Jay Shah. If they had refused, would Jay Shah have hanged them? Where is their patriotism? Shiv Sena is asking whether you are playing for the country or for the whims of Jay Shah?” Mr. Raut asked.
The Rajya Sabha MP also claimed that a betting worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore was placed on India-Pakistan match. He alleged that most of the betting has taken place in Gujarat and certain areas of Mumbai, and a large number of BJP people are involved in this.
Mr. Raut said the game had exposed the “bankruptcy of Modi-Shah’s nationalism”. “In Pahalgam, the vermilion was wiped off the foreheads of 26 women. Prime Minister Narendra Modi staged a chest-thumping drama. India has pulled out of international matches before. Why not now? Because Jay Shah has an interest. Modi has no morality left. The BJP can stop a war under Trump’s pressure, but not a cricket match with Pakistan.” he said.
In a post on X, Mr. Raut tagged the RSS and the BJP, and threatened to share information about hotels and restaurants, who would be screening the matches. “The information about the restaurants and clubs where the India-Pakistan cricket matches are shown should be shared publicly by patriotic citizens on social media! Jai Hind! Jai Maharashtra! Bharat Mata Ki Jai! “Majhe Kunku, Majha Desh! (my vermilion, my country),” he said.
In Maharashtra, workers of Shiv Sena (UBT) protested against the match under the banner “Majhe Kunku, Maza Desh”. Women party activists collected sindoor, saying it would be sent to PM Modi as a reminder about the Pahalgam attack. In Kandivali, a television set was broken as a symbolic protest.