The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly criticized Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj for his remarks concerning cricketer Suryakumar Yadav's dedication of the Asia Cup victory to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. The controversy arose after India's victory over Pakistan in the Asia Cup final, with Yadav dedicating the win to the armed forces involved in "Operation Sindoor" and the families affected by the Pahalgam terror attack.

Following the match, the Indian team did not participate in the customary handshake with the Pakistani players, a decision that Yadav explained was made out of respect for the victims of the terror attack. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the government were reportedly in agreement with this stance.

In response, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj launched a scathing critique, dismissing Yadav's gesture as insincere ("farzi"). He challenged Yadav, the BCCI, and the International Cricket Council (ICC) to donate the earnings from broadcasting rights and advertisements from the India-Pakistan match to the families of the 26 victims of the Pahalgam attack. Bharadwaj questioned their commitment, stating that financial contributions would demonstrate true sincerity, not just symbolic gestures. He said, "Agar tumhari aukaat hai, aur tumhari BCCI ki aukaat hai, aur tumhari ICC ki aukaat hai … jitna paisa tumne in broadcasting rights se kamaya hai … de do un 26 vidhwahon ko," which translates to challenging them to prove their sincerity by making a financial contribution rather than only dedicating the win in words. He further accused the Indian cricketing establishment of lacking the courage to take meaningful action, saying their gestures were hollow.

The BJP reacted sharply to Bharadwaj's comments. Amit Malviya, head of the BJP IT cell, responded to Bharadwaj's remarks by calling him "Arvind Kejriwal's two-penny clown". Malviya also shared a video of Bharadwaj challenging Yadav to donate his match proceeds to the families of the Pahalgam terror attack victims.

The BJP has praised the team for their stance, asserting that they put Pakistan, whom they called a "chief propagandist," in its place. Conversely, the AAP has accused the central government of providing the players with a "new script to spread propaganda".

The controversy has ignited a broader debate regarding symbolic gestures versus tangible support for victims of national tragedies. While some view dedicating the victory and refusing the handshake as a mark of respect and solidarity, others, like Bharadwaj, argue that concrete financial assistance is necessary to demonstrate genuine commitment.

Neither Suryakumar Yadav, the BCCI, nor the ICC have officially responded to Bharadwaj's challenge.