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ENS AND AGENCIES
MUMBAI, JUNE 30: Kapil Dev's call against playing cricket with Pakistan and his demand for scrapping the Sahara Cup has evoked widespread support from a cross-section of the sporting community in the country though there are dissenting voices. Former Pakistani cricketers have, predictably, criticised him for dragging sports into politics.
President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Raj Singh Dungarpur, however, has welcomed the demand and given a clear indication that the Sahara Cup series is now in jeopardy. ``The sentiments of the people need to be respected,'' he said. Though a decision on the series -- scheduled for September in Toronto -- will be taken at the meeting of the BCCI working committee next month, the event is now definitely under a shadow unless there is a dramatic improvement in the situation.
``In a matter like this, the Board will be guided by the national policy in our relationship with Pakistan as it has always done (in the past),'' said Dungarpur.
But BCCIsecretary Lele disagrees. Speaking in Vadodara, he stressed that sports should not be mixed with politics. ``It is a political problem and I don't think cricket should be involved in this,'' he said.
But there was widespread support for Kapil. Oft-crowned world billiards champion Michael Fereira said that if earlier India did not want sporting links with South Africa because of apartheid, then killing and maiming of our countrymen by an established aggressor deserves the strongest possible censure. ``Kapil said that he would like to go and fight on the battlefront. I swear to God I would like to do so myself, except that I am 60 years old. It would be sacrilegious to play with Pakistan when our soliders are laying down their lives so that we can live,'' he said.
``Fully endorsing'' Kapil's statement, Vijay Kumar Malhotra, senior vice-president of Indian Olympic Association, the apex sports body in the country, said there should be no contacts with Pakistan in any sport till it made amends for its misdeedsin Kargil.
Asked an angry former Indian sprinter Adille Sumariwalla: ``How can one shake hands with the Pakistan players when our soldiers are dying on the battlefield? How can we have sporting contacts with a country waging a full-scale war with us and when their Prime Minister is threatening us with a nuclear attack.''
Sanjay Sharma, a former India badminton player, was equally appalled at the attitude of the Pakistanis. ``The Pakistanis don't understand the language of peace. I think it's high time we not only stop playing cricket but sever all kinds of links with them,'' he said. ``Indian sportspersons should come forward to do whatever they can for our soldiers.''
Commonwealth gold medal-winning shooter Ashok Pandit, athlete Vandana Rao and 1993 World Enterprise champion Homi Motivala differed. `` I don't agree with Kapil's views,'' said Pandit. `` Seeing our soldiers, he may have been overcome by emotion. It's okay to say that we should not play Pakistan in the Sahara Cup, but can I say that Iwill not face a Pakistani shooter in the Commonwealth Games? The present conflict is between the two governments. The people of the two countries are not enemies and we should maintain cordial relations with each other.''
Vandana Rao said: ``I think the present conflict should not prevent sporting contacts between the two countries. In a way, even the sportsmen will be fighting for their respective countries.''
Former Pakistani cricketers, of course, denounced the suggestion. ``It's an overboard reaction and very disappointing. Cricket has always been a helpful tool to bring Pakistan and India close,'' said former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja. ``The two boards have positively worked to revive the ties but Kapil has tried to drag cricket into politics. People in Pakistan will love to see Sachin Tendulkar. What Kapil has said is an individual's reaction,'' he said.Former captain and manager Intikhab Alam said Kapil was trying to become a hero by exploiting the current situation. ``Its unsporting,'' he said.Tauseef Ahmed, architect of Pakistan's win at Bangalore in India in 1987, called for more cricket between the arch rivals. ``Cricket is always a great healer and it has brought the people of the two countries together. Cricket ties between Pakistan and India must go on,'' he said.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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