Exactly a week after it attacked Sudheendra Kulkarni with black paint, the Shiv Sena on Monday torpedoed yet another attempt to revive non-political ties with Pakistan, and succeeded in forcing the BCCI to reschedule its talks with the Pakistan Cricket Board, embarrassing ally BJP.
A group of Shiv Sainiks stormed the BCCI office ahead of the scheduled meeting and gheraoed BCCI chief Shashank Manohar. While the Shiv Sena maintained that the protest was in line with its nationalistic politics of not resuming normal relations with Pakistan until cross-border terrorism and border skirmishes stop, the BJP sang a different tune, with the governnment promising security for matches if they decide to play in Mumbai.
Speaking to reporters in Delhi, IPL Chairman and senior Board member Rajiv Shukla said the talks will be held in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Reacting to the protest, an irritated Maharashtra BJP chief Raosaheb Danve made it clear that the BJP does not share its ally Shiv Sena’s actions. “They are in government and yet they have a set agenda. They have done it in the past and are doing it now. BJP does not abide by the Sena’s stand,” he said.
Monday’s incident once again underlined the growing chasm between the two allies who share power in the State as well as in the Centre. The BJP State unit chief advised the Sena that programmes such as concerts, cricket matches are held all over the world.
“Even our players travel all over to play matches. Our government will provide security if a cricket match between India and Pakistan is planned in Mumbai,” said Mr. Danve.
“Had they [BCCI] informed the government about the meeting and asked for protection, we could have deployed security at the BCCI headquarters,” he said, refusing to accept it as a failure of police intelligence.
Earlier, embarrassing the BJP for the third time in the past three weeks, a group of 40-50 Shiv Sena activists surprised a handful of policemen at the BCCI office at Cricket Centre in Mumbai, and stormed into the second floor office of BCCI chief Shashank Manohar.
Carrying black flags, and placards which said “Shashank Manohar Murdabad”, “Shahryar Khan Chale Jao”, the activists shouted slogans like “Pakistan Hai Hai” and gheraoed Mr. Manohar in his office shortly before the 11 a.m. meeting with Pakistani Cricket Board chief Shahryar Khan.
While an unruffled Manohar tried to speak to the group, angry Shiv Sainiks drowned his voice telling him in no uncertain terms that BCCI should not resume ties with Pakistan as hundreds of innocent Mumbai citizens lost their lives in the 26/11 terror attacks.
BCCI sources said the board had maintained silence on PCB officials’ Mumbai visit, but the PCB issued a statement from Karachi that its officials will be visiting Mumbai on Monday, alerting the Shiv Sena. Unlike the Sudheendra Kulkarni paint attack, Monday’s protest was captured on camera by a news agency.
Anticipating further trouble, BCCI officials frantically called Mr. Khan and journalist-turned-politician Najam Sethi, who were in a media interview, not to leave Trident Hotel and informed them that the talks had been rescheduled. Following the protest, 10 Shiv Sena activists were arrested by the police under sections of unlawful assembly, and were given bail by evening.
PCB chief Khan told a news channel that the BCCI and PCB had signed a memorandum of understanding a few months ago to play six series over a period of eight years, and they had agreed to play the first of the six series in December this year.
“But, no confirmation was forthcoming from the BCCI because it is saying that it had to get the government’s approval for that. We waited for that approval. It’s only fair that we get a reply from the BCCI. I was glad to speak to Shashank Manohar, and he invited me here,” Mr. Khan told the news channel, Timesnow. Both Mr. Khan and Mr. Sethi refused to speak to the media even as the Mumbai police threw a heavy security cordon around the hotel.
No change in stand, says Raut
Speaking to The Hindu, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said: “What the BJP is saying is from a ruling government’s perspective [about providing security if government approves a match in Mumbai], but the Shiv Sena’s stand on Pakistan has remained unchanged for the last 30 years, whether we are in power or not. The BJP has changed its role after it came to power. Tomorrow if they are not in power, their role will change. But, Shiv Sena will not sober down its protests.”
Asked if the differences on this issue will escalate and destabilise the government, Mr. Raut said “Not at the moment, but we cannot predict the future. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will speak on this issue at the Dussehra rally on Sunday.”