LoC violation: Should Pak artistes and players pay the price?

The Shiv Sena and the non-responsive Maharashtra government have ensured that the Pakistani players from the Hockey India League will no longer participate in the tournament. There has been a growing clamour against Pakistani cultural artists and players because of the tension in the LoC.

But is it right that artistes and sportspeople have to pay the price for the actions of the Pakistani army?

Yes, said BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi. In a late night discussion with Rajdeep Sardesai on CNN-IBN, she said, “The Pakistani cricketers and artists should pay the price because we have paid the price of good behaviour. They have to question the country after going back.”

According to her, this is the only way in which India can assert itself. “Otherwise,  there is going to be a morass of misadventures like the ones you saw on the border the other day,” she added.

However, lead singer of Pakistani band ‘Junoon’ said that breaking sporting and cultural ties will only be detrimental to the cause of peace. “Cultural fusion is always better than nuclear fusion, " he said.

He said, “When there is sabre rattling, civil society becomes marginalised. Do 1.4 billion people (in the two countries) want peace or all this violence?.”

According to him, one should not let the hardliners on both sides hijack the issue and earn some political mileage out of it.