Asia Cup: India vs Pakistan: I have papa, keep the tricolour with you: Opposition leaders slam Jay Shah

Shah was present at the Dubai International Stadium during the blockbuster India-Pakistan clash. A video footage shows the BCCI secretary turning down an offer to wave the national flag, following India’s Asia Cup win over Pakistan. The video has sparked controversy, with Opposition leaders taking a dig at Shah, who is Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s son.

Shiv Sena’s Priyanka Chaturvedi said “staying neutral as ACC (Asian Cricket Council) president doesn’t at any point mean being disrespectful to any nation’s flag, especially your own….”

In a tweet, Chaturvedi said the tricolour in hand is a symbol of the resolve and loyalty of Indians to the nation and to “dismiss it in this way is an insult to the country’s 133 crore population”.

Several Congress leaders lashed out Jay Shah, Amit Shah’s son.

Tagging the video footage of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) appearing to turn down an offer to wave the flag, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh tweeted in Hindi: “I have papa, keep the tricolour with you.”

Congress leader Ajoy Kumar also tweeted the footage and wrote in Hindi: “Looks like the tricolour was of ‘Khadi’… not of ‘polyester’!”

The Congress has been strongly criticising an amendment of the flag code under which the national flag can now be made of polyester and with the help of machines.

Tagging the video, Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary Abhishek Banerjee tweeted: “The prodigal prince knows not of national pride. Jay Shah not wanting to hold the national flag is symptomatic of the larger hypocrisy of the ruling dispensation. They indulge in theatrics, lack values. Excel in jumlas, lack patriotism.”

Commenting on the video, TMC leader Derek O’Brien said: “Dear Amit Shah, please tell the nation whether this act infuriates you? Whether the act hurts your nationalistic sentiments? Or, will this act be forgiven only because he’s your son?”

“We are not looking for excuses. We are looking for concrete answers. Sincerely, an angry Indian,” he said.

TMC spokesperson Saket Gokhale said the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has argued that Jay Shah did not hold the tricolour on Sunday night because he was there as the ACC president and was following protocol.

“The same BJP hounded former VP Hamid Ansari when he (correctly by protocol) didn’t salute the flag during Republic Day parade as he wasn’t wearing headgear,” Gokhale said.

Meanwhile, coming to the match, India pulled off a thrilling win, riding on Hardik Pandya’s all-round show. After electing to bowl first, the bowlers restricted Pakistan to a below-par score, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar leading the attack with a four-wicket haul, while Hardik returned with three.

In reply, India got off to a nervy start, but chased it down in the final over. The Pakistan pacers troubled the Indian batsmen. Virat Kohli, playing in his 100th T20I, played got off to a nervy start, before a solid 35 off 34. Hardik Pandya, who has been in stellar form played an unbeaten knock to guide India home. With the win, India avenged their last year’s T20 World Cup loss against their arch-rivals.

(With inputs from PTI)