Bhopal: As Gwalior gears up to host its first international cricket match in 14 years—a T20 clash between India and Bangladesh on October 6—protests have erupted, led by the right-wing group Hindu Mahasabha, which has called for a city-wide bandh on the day of the match.
Hindu Mahasabha members staged a protest in Gwalior on Wednesday as the teams arrived in the city, demanding the cancellation of the game. The group, known for its staunch stance on Hindutva, claimed that hosting the Bangladesh cricket team was unacceptable given the recent reports of violence against the Hindu community in Bangladesh.
Jaiveer Bhardwaj, the outfit’s national vice president, accused the government of hypocrisy, stating, “The BJP, which claims to champion the Hindutva cause, is allowing the BCCI to host Bangladesh, ignoring the atrocities against Hindus in the neighboring country.” He referred to recent incidents where Hindu temples, properties, and women were reportedly attacked by extremists in Bangladesh.
“We cannot allow a nation where Hindus are being persecuted to be honored with a cricket match on our soil, especially not in Gwalior, which is the Balidan Bhoomi of Veerangana Rani Laxmi Bai,” Bhardwaj added.
In a bid to rally support, Bhardwaj announced that the trader community in Gwalior has been urged to observe a ‘Lashkar Bandh’ on October 6. The Mahasabha plans to intensify its campaign over the next few days, with door-to-door appeals to encourage residents to boycott the match. “We will ensure that the bandh is successful and that Gwalior does not host this match,” he said.
However, the protests quickly drew police intervention. Local authorities detained several Mahasabha activists for holding an unauthorized rally. “We arrested 20 members of the group for demonstrating without permission and attempting to march towards the stadium,” said City Superintendent of Police (CSP) Ashok Jadon.
Despite the opposition, Gwalior is set to host the first T20 match in a three-match series, marking the return of international cricket to the city for the first time since 2010. The venue was moved from Dharamshala to Gwalior due to ongoing renovations at the Himachal Pradesh stadium. The last international match held in Gwalior was in February 2010, during which Sachin Tendulkar famously became the first male cricketer to score a double century in an ODI.
With the game just days away, the protests and the call for a bandh have sparked tension in the city, and it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold leading up to the match.
