Mumbai, Oct 19 (IANS) A group of Shiv Sena activists on Monday protested at Indian cricket board president Shashank Manohar's office here against his move to hold talks with Pakistan Cricket Board chief Shahryar Khan to resume cricket ties between the two countries.
The Shiv Sainiks, numbering over 70, carried a black flag and shouted slogans of "Pakistan murdabad", "Shashank Manohar murdabad" and "Shahryar Khan Go Back".
Later, police detained more than two dozen activists and whisked them away, even as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president quietly watched from his office.
A protester said the Shiv Sena would not allow any cricketing relations between the two countries until Pakistan stopped the killing of Indian soldiers and civilians at the border.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, who is the executive editor of the Sena mouthpiece Saamana, said that it was not a gherao but a meeting with Manohar to urge him to cancel the negotiations with his Pakistani counterpart.
This is the second major protest within a fortnight by the Shiv Sena against Pakistan.
It started around 10 days ago when Pakistani ghazal maestro Ghulam AliÂ’s scheduled concerts in Mumbai and Pune were forced to be cancelled following Sena's strong opposition.
Last Monday, Sena activists blackened the face of veteran journalist Sudheendra Kulkarni in an attempt to force him to cancel a book launch function of former Pakistani foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri.
The move attracted condemnation, but following intervention by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the book release function passed off peacefully.
IPL chairman Shukla condemns attack on BCCI office
Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Rajeev Shukla on Monday strongly condemned the attack on the headquarters of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) at the Wankhede Stadium here by a group of Shiv Sainiks.
The protest was staged at BCCI president Shashank Manohar's office here against his move to hold talks with his Pakistani counterpart Shahryar Khan on the resumption of cricketing ties between the two countries.
The Shiv Sainiks, numbering over 70, carried a black flag and shouted slogans of 'Pakistan murdabad' and 'Shashank Manohar murdabad'.
"Strongly condemn the attack on BCCI Office by Shiv Sena," Shukla wrote on his Twitter account after the attack.
"Cricket is a gentleman's man and the spirit of the game expects same generosity and tolerance from those who love the game. BCCI is a responsible body and will not do anything against national interest. Cricketing decisions should be left to BCCI," the IPL chairman added.
Later, the police detained more than two dozen Shiv Sena activists and whisked them away, even as Manohar quietly watched from his office.
A protester said that the Shiv Sena would not permit any cricketing relations between the two countries until Pakistan stopped the killing of Indian soldiers and civilians on the border.
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