Himachal Pradesh chief minister opposes India-Pakistan T20 match in Dharamshala

Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh has said the much awaited World T20 match between India and Pakistan, slated to be played on March 19, should not be held in Dharamshala. The Indian National Congress led government in Himachal Pradesh has warned that Pakistan team will not be allowed to enter the state, reported Dunya News.

“The venues for the world cup matches were decided a year ago and the allotment for the matches were given months ago”.

Mankotia said that close on the heels of the Pathankot attack, two more Himachali jawans were killed during an encounter in Pulwama.

The marquee clash of Group 2 is scheduled to be played in the hill-town of Dharamsala on March 19 but its fate hangs in the balance after Virbhadra Singh wrote to the Indian home ministry stating that the state government would not be able to provide adequate security for the match. “They are not opposing holding of matches”, the Himachal chief minister said. People and media from all over the world do their bookings according to the fixtures. By claiming that you can not provide security, you are only giving credence to Pakistani claims that there is a security threat to their team in India. “I feel there should be no politics [involved]”. He said that youth of state would oppose the match as match. “If Assam can host the South Asian Games, and 100-plus athletes from Pakistan can participate, then why is it not possible for Himachal government [to host the WT20 match]?” A statement released earlier by the Himachal Pradesh government stated that the fixture would hurt the sentiment of the families of the martyrs.

Just a week before the World T20 starts in India, the state of Himachal Pradesh has said it can’t provide the necessary security for the “mother of all battles”. Sukkhu also demanded that 50 per cent income from eight other matches to be played at the same venue be disbursed among the kins of those who laid down their lives in successive wars against Pakistan or during anti-terror operations. “You should look at sport in relation to the prestige of the country”.