Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said here on Monday that India is committed to providing security to players of all the countries playing in India including those from Pakistan.
Releasing his ministry’s monthly report card for January, Chidambaram said "Let players from Australia, let players from Pakistan come to India, let them play in Mumbai or any other part of the country. I guarantee their security.”
Chidambaram also strongly condemned the views expressed by the Shiv Sena against non-Marathi speaking people working in Mumbai.
“We reject the thesis of the Shiv Sena, we reject the thesis of the MNS. Mumbai belongs to all Indians. Indians are free to move anywhere in the country and work,” Chidambaram said.
Earlier, Chidambaram had said the decision of Indian Premier League (IPL) franchisees not selecting any of the 17 Pakistani cricketers who had been given Indian visas for participation in the third edition of the IPL was a disservice to the game of cricket.
He had said these players were 20-20 World Champions and did not deserve to be treated this way.
He had said that any suggestion that the Indian Government had “nudged” the IPL not to select Pakistani players was not true and had no foundation.
First Published: Monday, February 01, 2010, 18:12