Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane sparked fresh controversy amid the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 controversy row. Rane said during a media brief that Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray will attend the match wearing a burqa.

The India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 match is scheduled to take place on September 14 in Dubai. Ahead of the high-octane clash, the call to boycott the match spread rapidly through social media platforms. Relations between India and Pakistan worsened after the Pahalgam terror attack incident, followed by Operation Sindoor. People from various sectors raised the question, what is the need to play against Pakistan after the horrific incident in Pakistan, where terrorists claimed multiple lives? 

Days ago, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray slammed BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) for confirming the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup match. In a written letter to Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, he said, "Blood and water cannot flow together, but for BCCI, blood and revenue can flow together... Is the BCCI above national interest? Is it above the sindoor of those who faced the attack in Pahalgam?" 

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A day before the match, Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane made some controversial remarks on Thackeray. He said that the Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA will silently go to attend the match, wearing a burqa, and will speak in a woman's voice so that no one can recognize him.

Minister of Maharashtra made a controversial remark

"Aaditya Thackeray will go silently to attend the match (upcoming India vs Pakistan match in the 2025 Asia Cup), wearing a burqa. His voice will also help him in this. After wearing a burqa, if he speaks in a woman's voice, people will believe him... No one would recognize that he is Aaditya Thackeray," Rane said. 

#WATCH | Mumbai: On Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray, Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane says, "Aaditya Thackeray will go silently to attend the match (upcoming India vs Pakistan match in Asia Cup 2025), wearing a burqa. His voice will also help him in this. After wearing a… pic.twitter.com/gedPqdVLQG

— ANI (@ANI) September 13, 2025

On the other side, according to the latest media reports, top officials, including Jay Shah, can distance themselves from the match to maintain the 'Invisible Boycott.' From BCCI, only Rajeev Shukla, who is also a member of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), can attend the event, reports claimed.