Shiv Sena (UBT) workers stage a protest against the India-Pakistan Asia Cup cricket match, in Mumbai.
Credit: PTI Photo
Mumbai: The Indian film industry—actors, actresses, filmmakers, and everyone associated—must also openly oppose this match, because this is the time to stand united for the nation and for those brave soldiers and innocent citizens who sacrificed their lives for India, the apex industry body said in an appeal.
“We call upon the film industry and the people of India to boycott BCCI and its actions that place profit above patriotism. This cancellation will not just be an act of respect for the Pahalgam martyrs, but also a powerful message to the world that India will never stand with terrorism or terrorist nations,” All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) president Suresh Shyamlal Gupta said.
“At a time when our nation is mourning the brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir—where 26 innocent Indians were mercilessly killed by Pakistani terrorists after being asked about their religion and slaughtered in front of their families—holding a cricket match with Pakistan is nothing short of an insult to our martyrs and their families,” said Gupta ahead of the Asia Cup match between India and Pakistan.
The Government of India has already taken historic steps against Pakistan, including stopping trade with Pakistan, blocking the flow of water through shared rivers, severing cultural ties, he said.
“AICWA itself had earlier banned Pakistani artists and films such as Sardar Ji 3 from India, and also imposed a ban on actor & singer Diljit Dosanjh, because nothing stands above the nation—not even Diljit. We have always stood firmly with the people of our nation. The citizens of India have continuously shown resistance against any cultural, sporting, or commercial ties with Pakistan. Yet today, the BCCI seems to prioritize money over the nation’s pride, attempting to normalize ties with a terrorist nation under the garb of sports. For the BCCI, cricket may be above all else, but for the people of India, our nation comes first,” he added.