India playing Pak unacceptable, Sena (UBT) will hold 'Sindoor Raksha' protest: Raut

Mumbai, Sep 11 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday said his party will hold 'Sindoor Rakhsa' campaign on Sunday to protest against India playing Pakistan in Abu Dhabi that day as part of the Asia Cup cricket tournament.

Playing cricket with Pakistan amounts to "betrayal", he said.

In a post on X, Raut said thousands of women from Maharashtra will take part in the protest and send 'sindoor' (vermilion) from their households to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Referring to the April 22 Pahalgam attack, in which Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 26 persons, he said Operation Sindoor that was launched by India was still on and, therefore, sporting ties with the neighbouring nation was unacceptable.

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 to avenge the Pahalgam attack, decimating terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir before the two nations agreed to end hostilities on May 10.

"Children of BJP ministers will surely go to watch this match. This is treason," Raut claimed. PTI MR BNM