Winter Session: Rajiv Shukla raises the issue of India-Pakistan cricket ties in Parliament

New Delhi: Demand for resumption of cricketing ties between India and Pakistan had an echo in Rajya Sabha on Monday with a Congress member questioning why the government was not giving its nod to it.

Rajiv Shukla, who is also IPL Commissioner, raised the issue in the context of a meeting between National Security Advisors of India and Pakistan in Bangkok on Sunday, a week after Prime Ministers of the two countries met in Paris.

“When Prime Ministers are meeting, Foreign ministers are meeting, foreign secretaries and NSAs are meeting, only the cricketers are not being allowed to play. Everyone is creating a problem on that.

“When mangoes and sarees are exchanging and their trade is taking place and everyone between two countries are meeting, only cricketers are not allowed to meet and play. When everything is happening, why not allow the cricket teams to play also. Government should explain and come out with a statement,” he said.

Seeking to support it, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said, “I think that it is a suggestion on which government should have a positive reaction. Why not government should look into it?”

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, “Government will work in national interest. It is equally concerned about the national interest as Rajiv Shukla is.”

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has already written to the External Affairs Ministry seeking a nod for holding a cricket series in Sri Lanka. Government has, however, not taken any decision on the issue so far.

PTI