New Delhi: A controversial statement by former Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi, praising Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha (LoP) Rahul Gandhi and criticising the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) stance on Pakistan, has ignited a fierce political firestorm, drawing sharp accusations from the BJP that the Congress party is “anti-Bharat” and aligns with “enemies of India.”
The controversial remarks came during a Pakistani TV channel panel discussion on the recent India-Pakistan Asia Cup match. Amid the backdrop of Indian cricketers refusing to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts following the Pahalgam terror attack, Afridi lauded Rahul Gandhi’s “positive mindset” and his desire for “dialogue,” starkly contrasting it with what he termed the BJP’s “very nasty mindset.”
Afridi’s analogy compared India’s policy towards Pakistan to Israel’s actions in Gaza, questioning if “one Israel is not enough that you are trying to become another?”
“Rahul Gandhi has a very positive mindset. He wants to take everyone together through dialogue. Is one Israel not enough that you are trying to become another?” Afridi said.
The video of Afridi’s comments quickly went viral, eliciting immediate and scathing responses from the BJP. Party spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari took to X (formerly Twitter) to label Gandhi a “disgraced Pak cricketer Shahid Afridi’s new fanboy,” adding that “When enemies of India shower praises, you know Congress is a party which is against Bharat, with Pakistan.”
Amit Malviya, the BJP’s IT head, echoed this sentiment, dubbing Afridi a “Rabid Hindu-hater” who “never misses a chance to spew venom against India and dream of Kashmir joining Pakistan.” Malviya further questioned why “every India-hater finds a friend in Rahul Gandhi?” adding, “When enemies of Bharat start cheering for you, the people of India know exactly where your loyalties lie.”
“Afridi says Rahul wants “dialogue” with Pakistan, while attacking PM Modi by comparing India’s policy on Pakistan to Israel’s actions in Gaza. Why is it that every India-hater finds a friend in Rahul Gandhi?” he wrote further.
The Congress party, however, has vehemently defended its position. Responding to the BJP’s onslaught, a party leader posted on X in Hindi, juxtaposing a photograph of Shahid Afridi with BJP MP Anurag Thakur, and retorted, “You do the sweet-talking, you maintain the friendships. And then you question us?” This pointed retort suggests a perceived hypocrisy within the ruling party.
Adding another layer of controversy, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) revealed that match referee Andy Pycroft had requested both captains not to shake hands during the pre-game coin toss. The PCB, in a late-night statement, condemned this decision as “against sportsmanship” and announced that team manager Naveed Akram Cheema had lodged a “formal protest against the match referee’s behavior” with the International Cricket Council (ICC), demanding his removal from the tournament. However, the ICC has reportedly rejected Pakistan’s demand, quashing the PCB’s threat of a potential pullout over the “handshake gate” incident.