Udit Raj calls India Women’s team’s refusal to accept trophy from ACC Chairman Mohsin Naqvi 'theatrics'

New Delhi, Sep 14
Congress leader Udit Raj on Monday criticised the Indian women’s cricket team for refusing to accept the Women’s Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, calling the move 'drama'.

Speaking to IANS, Udit Raj said, “Again, theatrics, terrible theatrics, and event theatrics. When the Pakistan team has already come, the Pakistani players have come here, are staying here and are playing, then this theatrics of not taking the trophy from his hands is only drama.”

His remarks came a day after the Indian women’s team refused to receive the trophy from Naqvi following their 72-run victory over Sri Lanka in the Women’s Asia Cup final. The win helped India secure a record-extending eighth Women’s Asia Cup title.

The development came less than a year after India’s men’s team had also declined to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Naqvi in Dubai. The women’s team followed the same course during Sunday’s post-match presentation at the same venue, with captain Harmanpreet Kaur and her teammates refusing to receive the trophy from the ACC chief.

Reacting to the singing of ‘Vande Mataram’ before the National Anthem during the India-Afghanistan T20I match, Udit Raj said there was no need to create an unnecessary controversy around the issue.

“What is the big deal in this? What difference does spinning an unnecessary narrative out of this make? The only thing that truly matters is that they played properly. They won, and we congratulate them on their victory,” he said.

The Congress leader also criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s announcement regarding the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in 21 states governed by the BJP-led NDA before 2029.

“What purpose will implementing the UCC serve? Instead, the focus should be on eradicating caste. Without the annihilation of caste, genuine national progress cannot be achieved,” he said.

“Because the caste arrangements have done a lot of harm to talent and education. So, it’s not possible to become developed if all these things are not stopped,” he told IANS.

Amit Shah had said on Sunday that the UCC, which seeks to establish a common set of personal laws governing matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption irrespective of religion, would be implemented in all 21 states governed by the BJP-led NDA before 2029.

“We introduced the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in several states. I am confident that we will implement the UCC in all 21 states governed by the BJP-led NDA before 2029,” Amit Shah said at a press conference in Mumbai.