Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane on Saturday mocked Shiv Sena-UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray over his opposition to the India-Pakistan cricket match and said he would attend the upcoming India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 match "silently, wearing a burqa."
The upcoming India-Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 match is scheduled for September 14 in Dubai.
Speaking to the reporters, Nitesh Rane said, "Aaditya Thackeray will go silently to attend the match (upcoming India vs Pakistan match in Asia Cup 2025), wearing a burqa. His voice will also help him in this. After wearing a burqa, if he speaks in a woman's voice, people will believe him... No one would recognise that he is Aaditya Thackeray..."
Rane also questioned Uddhav Thackeray's right to comment on the match, accusing his party of staying silent when pro-Pakistan slogans were allegedly raised at a rally by one of its MPs.
"Does Saamana or Uddhav Thackeray have the moral right to comment on the India-Pakistan match? During a rally of one of Uddhav Thackeray's MPs, slogans of 'Pakistan Zindabad' were raised, green flags were waved, green gulal was thrown, and slogans like 'sar tan se juda' were chanted. So, why didn't they express anger towards Pakistan then?" Rane said.
WATCH: Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane mocks Aaditya Thackeray
Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray questioned India's participation in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 match against Pakistan, alleging that the government was mixing politics and business with patriotism.
Addressing a presser, Thackeray said the Sena-UBT will stage protests against the match. He said the party's women workers will collect sindoor (vermilion) and send it to the Prime Minister's Office.
"This cricket match is an insult to national sentiments. Should we be playing cricket with Pakistan while our soldiers sacrifice their lives on the borders?" Thackeray asked.
Slamming the Union government, Thackeray dubbed the cricket match a joke on patriotism. He said boycotting the match will send a strong signal to the world about Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.
"This was (undivided) Shiv Sena chief (Bal Thackeray's stand). If blood and water cannot flow together, then how can cricket and blood (go) together?" he said, and alleged that they (BJP) were doing trade in the name of patriotism.