Mumbai: Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Nitesh Rane on Saturday responded sharply to comments made by Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) MP Sanjay Raut regarding the upcoming India-Pakistan cricket match.
Rane stated, “The BJP and RSS leaders who are nationalists, we do not need a certificate from Sanjay Raut. We know how to teach Pakistan a lesson, which the government led by Prime Minister Modi has done many times.”
The minister further challenged Raut, questioning his stance on the bilateral cricket encounter: “I want to ask Sanjay Raut whether he will support Pakistan in the India-Pakistan match?”
Rane’s remarks underline the continued tension between the BJP and Shiv Sena (UBT) factions over sporting ties with Pakistan, especially in the context of national security and patriotism debates ahead of the Asia Cup 2025 clash.
