BCCI, HP in war of words over Indo-Pak venue

Shimla/New Delhi : The marquee World Twenty20 match between India and Pakistan at Dharamsala threatens to snowball into a major controversy between the BCCI and the state's politicians, dragging Prime Minister Narendra Modi into it.

At the root is the State's political leaders' strong reservations over holding the India-Pakistan match in a state that has a high chunk of serving and retired soldiers in the Indian Army as well as families of martyrs of the Kargil War.

Leaders from both the ruling Congress and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party are united in their opposition to the Super 10 Group 2 match being hosted at Dharamsala on March 19, keeping in mind the local sentiments.

While Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has in a letter to union Home Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that the state government will not be able to provide security during the game, former chief minister Shanta Kumar in his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the match should not be allowed at Dharamsala in Kangra district as it is home to hundreds of valiant jawans, martyrs and ex-servicemen.

"We have informed the government of India on the security issues during the India and Pakistan match," Virbhadra Singh told reporters in Shimla. The Chief Minister was categorically clear in saying that “if the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) is keen on the match, it can hold it at its own risk.”

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Anurag Thakur, who belongs to the same State, however, accused Singh of playing politics over the issue, asserting that the match should be held in Dharamsala since it is now too late to decide on a new venue.

“The venues of the World Cup matches were decided one year ago, the allotment of matches was decided six months ago. Fans and media from around the globe based on the fixtures make their bookings and we make sure we provide them with the facilities,” said Thakur, who is also a BJP MP.

“At the eleventh hour to show your failure that we cannot provide the security, it only gives a bad name to the state and the country. It is not fair to give such statements at the last minute,” Thakur told reporters in New Delhi.

“The Congress-led state government is clearly playing politics. Hundreds of Pakistani athletes were given security during the South Asian Games in Assam, why can't the Himachal government do the same?” Thakur said.

“By claiming that you cannot provide security, you are only giving credence to Pakistani claims that there is a security threat to their team in India. It's about the country's image, you cannot play politics over it,” he added.

However, Thakur's fellow-BJP parliamentarian Shanta Kumar also has in a missive to Modi expressed concern over Dharamsala hosting the match since the region is home to Kargil war heroes like Captain Vikram Batra and Captain Saurabh Kalia among several more.