India-Pakistan Asia Cup row: Kiren Rijiju labels Rahul Gandhi 'Pakistan's darling' after Shahid Afridi's endorsement

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju targeted the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Tuesday after former Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi praised the Congress leader's positive mindset on India-Pakistan ties. Gandhi has once again become the target of the Bharatiya Janata Party over comments from Pakistani politicians and celebrities.

Targeting Gandhi over Afridi's comments, Rijiju said Afridi and politicians in Pakistan want to make Gandhi their leader. "Rahul Gandhi has been the darling of Pakistan!" Rijiju tweeted. Rijiju also shared a video of Afridi in which he is heard calling Gandhi a person with a "positive mindset", who wishes to have dialogue with everyone.

BJP leader Amit Malviya slammed Gandhi and Congress, and asked, "Why is it that every India-hater finds a friend in Rahul Gandhi?" Questioning the Congress leader's loyalty towards the nation, Malviya tweeted, "When enemies of Bharat start cheering for you, the people of India know exactly where your loyalties lie."

Speaking with Pakistan’s Samma TV during a discussion on the recent row over India-Pakistan Asia Cup match, Afridi likened India to Israel. India played against Pakistan in the Asia Cup despite widespread calls from the Opposition and families of Pahalgam terror attack victims to boycott the match. Though India defeated Pakistan, a massive row emerged after Team India refused to shake hands with Pakistani players, neither at the toss nor at the end of the match.

The Opposition accused the BJP-led Union government of hypocrisy and charged the Centre let India play against Pakistan for money. Protests were held in various parts of the country, urging the public to boycott the match.