A statement by BJP leader Rakesh Sinha regarding the Asia Cup 2025 has led to a dispute. A question posed during an event at Miranda House College in Delhi asked why India was playing cricket with Pakistan, given the government’s past stance on relations with the nation. In response, Sinha differentiated between the political implications of ‘blood and water’ and the realm of sports.
Sinha argued that sports, art, and culture transcend national boundaries and that cricket, as a game, should not be subject to political considerations. This perspective was met with negative reactions, and a wave of criticism ensued on social media.
Sinha later issued a clarification in response to the controversy. He attributed the misinterpretations to the removal of his final remarks from the video and certain inaccuracies in his speech. He emphasized his belief in keeping sports and art separate from politics, but acknowledged that this did not apply to Pakistan due to its association with terrorism. Sinha expressed a personal opposition to the match, claiming that a portion of the video had been distributed that exemplifies ‘post-truth’.