‘Playing with Pakistan sends wrong message': Himachal Congress MLA Malender Rajan urges Indian cricket team to withdraw from Asia Cup
Raising the matter during Zero Hour in the Assembly, Rajan, the MLA from Indora constituency in Kangra district, said he recently learned that the BCCI has permitted the Indian cricket team to take part in the Asia Cup, where Pakistan is also a participant.
'The Government of India should have intervened in the matter, given the country's strained relations with Pakistan, which has been involved in terror attacks on Indian soil and recent border skirmishes,' he said.
'The decision of the BCCI to allow participation in a tournament alongside Pakistan is highly objectionable, considering Pakistan's track record. The Assembly should pass a resolution urging the BCCI and the Union government to cancel this permission,' Rajan added.
He said allowing the Indian team to play in a tournament with Pakistan sends the wrong message at a time when relations remain bitter between the two nations. Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania said the matter will be sent to the government.
Later, interacting with the media, referring to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, Rajan said, 'I raised this point in the interest of the country. It is about the sentiments of our people who lost their kin in Pakistani-sponsored terrorist attacks.'
The Asia Cup, organised by the Asian Cricket Council, will be held from September 9 to 28 in the T20 format in the United Arab Emirates. India are set to play against Pakistan on September 14. The other teams in the fray are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, UAE, Oman and Hong Kong.
The India-Pakistan diplomatic tension has already seen Pakistan's withdrawal from the Hockey Asia Cup to be held in Bihar from August 29 to September 7. Bangladesh will replace Pakistan in the tournament.
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