India-Pak World Twenty20 match under cloud as HP govt refuses to provide security to Shahid Afridi's team

Congress MLAs and ministers demanded Himachal Pradesh CM to cancel the match.

New Delhi: Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Virbhadra Singh, has opposed hosting of the high-profile India-Pakistan World T20 clash in Dharamsala.

According to a report on India TV website, the state government has stated it cannot provide security to the visiting team.

"We have written to the Home Minister on behalf of the govt regarding this matter," he was quoted as saying in the report.

Reacting sharply to Singh's statement, Thakur, who is also a BJP MP in Lok Sabha, said the state knew of the schedule months in advance and did not specify any such concerns at that time.

"The venues of the World Cup matches were decided one year ago, the allotment of matches was decided six months ago.

People all over have made bookings and it is not fair to give such statements at the last minute," Thakur told reporters here.

"The Congress-led state government is clearly playing politics. Hundreds of Pakistani athletes were given security during the South Asian Games in Assam, why can't the Himachal government do the same?" Thakur asked.

"By claiming that you cannot provide security, you are only giving credence to Pakistani claims that there is a security threat to their team in India. It's about the country's image, you cannot play politics over it," he added.

On Monday, the Himachal Pradesh Congress had asked the BCCI to either cancel the proposed match or shift the venue.

The party claimed that since Kangra is home to a large number of soldiers, including Kargil War heroes like Captain Vikram Batra and Captain Saurabh Kalia, hosting the Pakistani team would hurt the sentiments of martyrs' families.

(With PTI inputs)