Shiv Sena Slams Board of Control for Cricket in India, Says Series With Pakistan is 'Honouring Ajmal Kasab'
Shiv Sena had recently disrupted a meeting between Board of Control for Cricket India and Pakistan Cricket Board officials in Mumbai. Sena feels a series with Pakistan is like honouring terrorist Ajmal Kasab.
Shiv Sena has slammed the Board of Control for Cricket in India for planning a series with Pakistan in Sri Lanka. Although the Union government is yet to clear the series, Shiv Sena said in an editorial last week that a series with Pakistan in Sri Lanka will be like "honouring Team Ajmal Kasab."
Ajmal Kasab was part of a Pakistani terrorist group that took Mumbai by storm in 2008. He was the only militant caught alive by the police and finally hanged in November 2012 for murder and waging war against India.(BCCI Unlikely to Get Government's Clearance)
In a strongly-worded editorial in its mouthpiece, Saamna, Shiv Sena criticised BCCI officials for jumping the gun and announcing a series in 'neutral' Sri Lanka tentatively from December 15.
"It seems as if the 26/11 was not a blood-shed and Pakistan had sent its cricket team who made a double century by killing innocent people and 20 policemen. It looks like Sri Lanka has been chosen to award Kasab and his team with medals." the editorial said.
"The bilateral series is not being played in Pakistan because of the terror threat, and patriots like Shiv Sainiks are not allowing the match in India. But the people in the cricket board don't have any concerns about the innocent lives of civilians and security personnel being snuffed by the hands of the Pakistani militants," the editorial added.(PCB Gets Sharif's Clearance)
Recently, Shiv Sainiks had thwarted a meeting between BCCI president Shashank Manohar and PCB chairman Shahryar Khan in Mumbai. The two Boards were to discuss the nitty-gritties of a short bilateral series in December.
Shiv Sena, however, praised the Ministry of External Affairs for not giving permission to the BCCI, given the current political relationship between the sub-continental neighbours.
India have not played a full bilateral Test series with Pakistan after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. According to a memorandum of understanding signed between the PCB and BCCI, both countries are scheduled to play six series between 2015 and 2023, subject to clearance from respective governments.(Sri Lanka to be 'Neutral' Venue)