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Vajpayee, Advani gun down Thackeray's views

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani today shot down Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's contention that the Pakistan cricket team should not be allowed to play in the country.

Vajpayee said the Pakistan cricket team would face no problems in any part of the country if they came to play in India.

He told the media in Bhopal that no individual or any organisation could prevent the Pakistan team from touring the country.

The prime minister made the observation when the media asked whether his government would tolerate the reported threat issued by Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray that he would not allow the Pakistan team to play in Bombay. He said the government would ensure that the foreign teams played cricket without any problem.

Disapproving Thackerey's statement, Advani said he would discuss the issue with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde.

The home minister declared that he was totally against the linking of sports with politics, and said sports, art and culture should not be linked with politics neither at the national level nor at the international level.

UNI

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