Congress Criticizes PM Modi's "Operation Sindoor" Cricket Analogy

Congress slammed the Prime Minister saying that a captain does not announce ceasefire on the orders of any third umpire

Bharatiya Abroad | Edited by Staff Writer | Updated: September 29, 2025 7:43 pm UTC

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The Congress party on Monday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for comparing India's recent Asia Cup final victory over Pakistan to a military operation, specifically referencing the term "Operation Sindoor."

The political row began after Prime Minister Modi congratulated Team India on the win, stating: "Operation Sindoor on game field and outcome same -- India wins."

 

The Comparison to Conflict and Ceasefire

 

Congress media and publicity department chairman Pawan Khera strongly objected to the analogy, using the opportunity to remind the Prime Minister of a controversial past incident.

https://x.com/Pawankhera/status/1972621755081748646

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Khera made two key points:

  1. Improper Analogy: He stated that "it is not right to compare a cricket match to a battlefield."
  2. Dig at Past Policy: Khera then delivered a veiled dig at the Prime Minister regarding the handling of cross-border conflict earlier this year. He asserted that if the comparison is made, the Prime Minister should "learn from the Indian team that when you are close to victory, good captains do not ceasefire on the orders of any third umpire."

This latter statement references the four-day conflict in May, when India launched the full military operation named 'Operation Sindoor,' targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The operation was controversially ended when then-US President Donald Trump made a surprise announcement of a ceasefire between the two "nuclear neighbours" via social media. While the Indian government has repeatedly rejected claims that the ceasefire was a result of Trump's intervention, the Congress has consistently used the incident to attack the Prime Minister, suggesting external pressure dictated India's military actions.

The Congress's response aims to shift the narrative from celebrating a sports victory to questioning the government's decisive action during a period of conflict.