Shiv Sena opposes India-Pak cricket match in Ahmedabad

Mumbai: Continuing its opposition to Pakistan, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has opposed India’s match against the neighbouring country to be played at Ahmedabad in the forthcoming World Cup tournament. Party chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said that India should not play against the country that supports the terrorism.

“The India-Pakistan matches would be held in Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Why play with a country that fuels terrorism,” Thackeray said addressing a rally at Hingoli in Maharashtra.

To emphasise his discontent on playing against Pakistan, the Sena (UBT) chief mentioned late BJP leader Sushma Swaraj in his speech while criticising Prime Minister Modi. “You teach us lessons of patriotism and then hold an India-Pakistan cricket match in Ahmedabad. Sushma Swaraj was better than you, she clearly stated that there would be no cricket until the terror activities against India are not stopped by Pakistan. This is called patriotism,” he said.

Thackeray also raised the issue of Kulbhushan Jadhav, the former Indian Navy officer, who is in custody of Pakistan having been convicted on charges of spying.

“Are you going to invite Kulbhushan Jadhav for that match (against Pakistan)? He is languishing in a Pakistani jail. Jadhav was caught while working for our country. But we don’t know whether he is alive there or not and shamelessly we are playing cricket with Pakistan,” he added.

Thackeray also hit out at Modi urging BJP workers to celebrate Raksha Bandhan with Muslim sisters, asking if they will tie rakhis for Bilkis Bano, who was gangraped during Gujarat riots, or the two Manipuri women who were stripped and paraded by a mob.

“After committing atrocities on Muslim women and then releasing their culprits, they wish to celebrate Raksha Bandhan with them. Leave Bilkis Bano, at least are you going to get rakhi tied from those two women from Manipur who were stripped and paraded naked there? Are you going to do it?” he added.

Shiv Sena has a long-standing opposition to playing cricket matches against Pakistan saying that the neighbouring country is involved in terror activities against India. In October 1991, the Shiv Sena workers had even dug up the pitch at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai to disrupt a India-Pakistan match.