ICC World Twenty20: Whosoever comes to India will be secured, says Rajnath Singh

Ghaziabad/New Delhi: A day after Pakistan demanded an assurance from New Delhi to provide adequate security to their cricket team, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that anyone coming to India will be provided adequate security.

"Whosoever will come to India will be secured," Singh told the media here.

Meanwhile, senior BCCI functionary Rajeev Shukla also said the board takes full responsibility of providing fool proof security to all the teams visiting the nation for the World T20.

"I am giving the assurance that full proof security would be provided to them .We are supposed to speak to the concerned state government and to the district administration. We are supposed to provide the security. We will be getting in touch with them. And our entire team is working in coordination with the local administration. So, security and safety will be taken care of," Shukla said.

"Now, Pakistan should not insist on this particular thing that they want something on writing. That's between the two governments and I can't say on that. But I think they should send their team," he added.

Shukla, who is also the chairman of Indian Premier League (IPL), said that he did not understand the reason behind Pakistan's concern despite the venue being shifted from Dharamsala to Kolkata.

"The entire security responsibility goes on the host board. So, why Pakistan Cricket Board is concerned about it. They wanted their venue to be shifted from Dharamsala to Kolkata that has been done. Now, I think they should not be concerned about the safety and the security of their players. That's the responsibility of the BCCI," said Shukla.

"The BCCI will talk to concerned government, local administration, state government as well as Government of India to provide fool proof security to all the players," he insisted.

With the Pakistan government demanding foolproof security for their cricket team, Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs of India, on Thursday had said the government is very much concerned about the security of the players.

"We are not concerned about anything; the Home Ministry is concerned about the security only. Whether India plays with Pakistan or any other country, it is not our concern. My only concern is that anybody who is in India whether Indian citizen or any other person must be given proper security," Rijiju told the media in New Delhi.

Read: Pakistan cricket team to fly to India today

"We have already communicated to the all the states, where the games are going to be hosted, necessary security arrangements must be put in place," he added.

In response to Pakistan seeking a written assurance from India, Rjijiu said he doesn't know about Pakistan's stand, adding that the Home Ministry is there to protect all the teams participating in the World Cup.

Read: Pakistan seek security assurance

"It is our sovereign duty to secure everybody, who is in the Indian Territory. Why we should give in written, when we have approved CISF to provide security in the venue," he added.

Rijiju further said that he has met BCCI General Secretary Anurag Thakur and has briefed him on the security aspects adding that the BCCI must pay full advance money to the Home Ministry.

The Pakistan cricket team will be allowed to visit India only after an assurance of foolproof security from the Indian government for the World Twenty20, the country's Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan said on Thursday.

"Indian government should give public guarantee of foolproof security to the Pakistan cricket team, if not assured then the team would not be given permission to participate in the World T20," said Nisar while addressing a press conference in Islamabad.

Nisar also described the threats as ' Pakistan specific' and questioned his country's cricket side's ability to put up their best performance in an environment of fear.