India's thrilling win over Pakistan in Dubai has sparked a major political row, with the Aam Aadmi Party taking a 'propaganda' jibe at the Narendra Modi government. Senior AAP leader and former Delhi Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj took to X and posted a fortnight-old clip showing India captain Suryakumar Yadav shaking hands with Pakistan Cricket Board chief Mohsin Naqvi and getting photos clicked.
Replying to BJP's Amit Malviya, who had said that Team India refused to take the trophy from the 'chief propagandist' Naqvi, Bhardwaj claimed that "a new script was given to players for propaganda."
Bhardwaj alleged, "See, at the start of the series, just 15 days ago, they even shook hands and clicked photos with Pakistan's minister Mohsin Naqvi. But when the match faced protests in India, the players were given a new script so that propaganda could be run in the country."
Bhardwaj had also questioned whether the money earned from the Asia Cup would be donated to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. In sharp retort, Malviya posted a clip showing India's skipper announcing that he would donate his match fee to the Indian Army. Malviya also called Bhardwaj "the two-penny AAP MLA, clown of Arvind Kejriwal."
India won the match with two deliveries to spare on Sunday. However, the drama didn't end on the pitch. As PCB chief, who also happens to be ACC chairman, insisted on presenting the trophy, Yadav and the team refused to share the dais with Naqvi. In the end, the Men in Blue celebrated the victory without the trophy-a first-ever occurrence in the history of cricket.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
