The government on Wednesday indicated that it is not against the idea of slapping complete ban on playing cricket with Pakistan.
‘Terror and cricket cannot go together,’ Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told a TV channel here.
‘Vichar toh karna padega (There is need for a rethink on the subject…Thoughts have to be given to the idea),’ he said.
‘Yeh puppiaan.. jhapiyaan…. aur cricket ke chhakke ke sath mein hamare aatankwaad ke shaheedon ki laash aana, kitne din chalega (These hugs and kisses..Sixers of Cricket vis-s-vis martyrs who were victims of terrorism, how long they can go together),’ Mr Prasad said answering questions on the growing demand to boycott India’s western neighbour from playing cricket.
Mr Prasad, however, said the final decision is to be taken by the ‘cricket administration’ and there is an international system for that.
The demand to boycott Pakistan in cricket field has assumed a significance of its own as the ICC-organised World Cup is due in next few months.
India on February 15 withdrew of the Most Favoured Nation status for Pakistan, following the deadly terror attack on CRPF personnel in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir.
The government also slapped a 200 per cent import duty on all goods originating or exported from Pakistan to India.
After 40 CRPF soldiers were killed in a car bombing attack in Kashmir’s Pulwama by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed, the government said it would take all possible diplomatic steps to ensure Pakistan’s complete isolation internationally.
Indian Foreign Secretary also met envoys of at least 40 countries including the P-5 countries – which includes China, the US and others and briefed them about Pakistan’s role in sponsoring terror.
The P-5 refers to the United Nations Security Council’s five permanent members – United States, United Kingdom, Russia, France and China.
Major world power the US, the UK, Russia and France have asserted that they stand with India in combating the menace of terrorism, China has still kept its stand on Masood Azhar unchanged.
