Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, who is well known for his anti-Pakistan statements, has objected to the Pakistani team performing ‘namaaz’ in Mohali stadium.
He had also criticized Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for inviting his Pakistani counterpart to the Cricket World Cup semi-final match between India and Pakistan.
“The Pakistani team could have performed namaaz in their rooms, but by doing so on the greens (of the Mohali stadium), they gave a clarion call for a holy war,” Thackeray said in an editorial in party mouthpiece `Saamana’.
Thackeray had earlier said, “If Pak President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani can be invited for the match in the name of peace, why should injustice be done to Kasab and Guru,” referring to the main accused in the Mumbai terror attacks and the Parliament attack.
The Shiv Sena has been opposing Indo-Pak cricket ties, saying Indian soldiers were being killed on the border while fighting Pakistan and, “hence, our country should not maintain ties with the neighbouring nation.” In 2005, Sena activists caused damage to the pitch at Mohali, then venue of a Test match between the two countries.
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