In a disgraceful act that continues to ignite national outrage, the Cochin University B.Tech Alumni Association (CUBAA), a self-described “cultural organisation” of Malayali expatriates in Dubai, finds itself at the centre of a storm for honouring Pakistani cricketers Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul at their “Memory Steps 2025” event, held on May 25 at the Pakistan Association, Dubai. This shameful programme occurred just days after the Pakistan-sponsored terror attack in Pahalgam on April 11 that killed 26 innocent Hindus and left the nation in mourning.
CUBAA’s belated explanation, issued under the name of the ‘Ormachuvaduakal Season-2 committee’ (Memory Steps Season-2), reeks of dishonesty and ideological bias. Their statement described the presence of Afridi and Gul as “unannounced and unsolicited,” attempting to downplay the insult as a mere coincidence. This claim is not only implausible but deeply insulting to public intelligence. Celebrities of international stature do not casually wander into events without prior communication, security clearance, or invitation. The timing, location, and coordination all point towards a deliberate move.
Even more telling is the language of the statement. Nowhere does CUBAA condemn the Pakistan-sponsored terror in Pahalgam. They avoid naming Pakistan altogether, referring instead to it as a “neighbouring country”, a deliberate softening of reality, as Pakistan is an officially designated enemy state of India. Further, they describe the post-attack scenario merely as “diplomatic tensions,” wilfully refusing to name the country responsible for the terror and bloodshed. This is not neutrality. It is appeasement. And in the context of national tragedy, appeasement amounts to betrayal.
They argue that the venue, the Pakistan Association Dubai, was booked much earlier, before the Pahalgam terror attack. But even after the massacre, they went ahead with the programme at the same location, citing affordability and convenience. This is indefensible. The symbolism is damning: a Malayali organisation hosting a high-profile event at a Pakistani venue, honouring two Pakistani cricketers known for anti-India propaganda, while India mourned the death of its innocent civilians and soldiers.
This is not a simple lapse in judgment. It is the manifestation of a dangerous ideological drift. The very name ‘CUBAA’ echoes ‘Cuba’, a nation synonymous with authoritarian leftist posturing, and is emblematic of the group’s own ideological bearings. Cloaked in the language of “cultural exchange” and “inclusivity,” CUBAA has revealed its alignment with the toxic left-Islamist worldview that finds sympathy in certain political circles in Kerala. These ideological affiliations, deeply entrenched in parts of the state’s intelligentsia and diaspora, now stand exposed in full view of a grieving nation.
By glorifying Afridi, a man who routinely maligns the Indian Army and amplifies Pakistani propaganda, CUBAA has not only tarnished the name of their alma mater but brought shame upon the global Malayali community. What was supposed to be a reunion has now gone down as a dark chapter in the history of Indian expatriates, and a blot on every Indian who holds the dignity of the nation dear.
In dissecting the language used in CUBAA’s official explanation, one finds a calculated attempt to neutralise and obscure rather than confront or apologise with clarity. Terms such as “neighbouring country” instead of Pakistan, and “diplomatic tensions” rather than “terror attack” or “military provocation,” are not accidental choices, they reflect a deliberate rhetorical strategy to minimise the gravity of events.
Moreover, the repeated use of passive constructions, “cricketers made an unannounced and unsolicited appearance,” “we were unable to restrict their access”, carefully distances the organisers from agency and accountability. What is absent in their vocabulary, words like ‘terrorism’, ‘martyrs’, or even ‘India’ in a nationalist sense, is as telling as what is present. The language of this explanation is not that of regret; it is that of evasion.
This is a moment for collective condemnation, not manufactured excuses. Their actions have crossed a red line, and the India’s patriotic people will not forget.
