Trinamool Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday said that India must sever all forms of engagement with Pakistan, including, diplomatic, cultural, and sporting, and asserted that the only engagement with that country should be on the battlefield.
Taking to social media platform X, Banerjee declared, “INDIA MUST NOT ENGAGE WITH PAKISTAN in any sphere. The only engagement we should have with Pakistan is on the BATTLEFIELD and the only prize worth WINNING is Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).”
He accused Pakistan of being responsible for decades of violence, stating that the country has continuously exported terror across Indian borders. “For decades, Pakistan has exported terror, bled our nation by causing irreparable loss to Indian lives and families. And yet, every now and then, we hear calls to keep politics out of sport. No! This has to stop,” he said.
Rejecting any notion of neutrality when dealing with a country engaged in proxy war, Banerjee wrote, “When a nation wages a proxy war, there is no ‘neutral ground.’ THERE IS NO CRICKET PITCH WISE ENOUGH TO WASH OFF THE BLOOD OF OUR MARTYRS.”
While acknowledging his respect for cricket and cricketers, Banerjee made it clear that the armed forces hold a higher place in national reverence. “Our TRICOLOUR flies high not because of a bat and ball, but because of the unmatched courage and valour of our armed forces. We honour our cricketers, but as a nation, we revere our soldiers,” he said.
The Diamond Harbour MP went on to describe sporting engagement with Pakistan as a betrayal. “Extending HANDSHAKE TO A NATION THAT FIRES BULLETS ACROSS OUR BORDERS IS NOT DIPLOMACY – IT’S A BLOODY BETRAYAL!”
Calling for national priorities to be realigned, Banerjee asserted, “Let justice, not entertainment, be our goal. If there is to be a match with Pakistan, let it be fought at the Line of Control (LoC) and let PoJK be the only trophy we seek.” Banerjee referred to the terror attack in Pahalgam, saying, “Anything less is an insult to our martyrs and a betrayal to the victims of Pahalgam. Period.”
Abhishek Banerjee’s remarks come in the wake of India’s decision to play Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025. The Asian Cricket Council announced the schedule on Kargil Vijay Diwas, with the tournament running from 9 to 28 September, mostly in Dubai. India is set to play its first match on 10 September against the UAE, and face Pakistan on 14 September.
