'Pakistan's fear for cricketers unjustified'

Key Indian political parties slammed PCB's rejection of Ahmedabad as the venue for a Test match during Pakistan's tour of the country later this month.

In a rare display of unity, key Indian political parties on Monday slammed Pakistan's rejection of Ahmedabad as the venue for a match during the cricket team's tour of the country later this month.

HT Image

The ruling Congress, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) termed as "political" the reasons cited by the Pakistan Control Board (PCB) for its reluctance to play in the Gujarat city and said this was "unfortunate and condemnable".

The PCB has deviated from the standard procedure of dealing with its Indian counterpart to directly write to the external affairs ministry and express its inability to play in Ahmedabad, which was witness to sectarian violence in 2002.

Strongly condemning Pakistan's stance, opposition parties have asked the government to call off the tour, which is scheduled to begin on February 24.

"Pakistan has absolutely no business to comment on the political and social incidents here. I want the Indian government to strongly condemn this and call off the tour," said BJP leader Seshadri Chari, a member of the party's National Executive.

Chari even accused Pakistan of "playing a role" in the Godhra incident in which 59 people died when a railway coach was torched, triggering statewide violence that claimed at least 1,000 lives.

"India should say point blank that we do not want them to play here," Chari contended.