INDO-PAK MATCH

INDO-PAK MATCH
Shifting of venue has cost state Rs3,000 cr: Anurag
The MP launches Tiranga Yatra | Blames CM for tarnishing state’s image

MP Anurag Thakur during the first ‘Tiranga March’ in Shimla on Saturday. Photo: Amit Kanwar

National president of the Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) and Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur today accused Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh of playing politics in the name of martyrs.

He claimed that the state had lost global publicity worth Rs 3,000 crore following shifting of the venue of T-20 World Cup match between India and Pakistan from Dharamsala to Kolkata.

Anurag, also BCCI secretary, was here to launch the Tiranga Yatra-India First from the Central Telegraph Office. He alleged that the vacillating stand of the Chief Minister over the security arrangements for the match offered an opportunity to Pakistan to aver that India was not safe. It tarnished the image of the state and the country.

Anurag said the disturbing fallout of this development was that no IPL match would be played at Dharamsala which was a big loss to the state.

Recalling that Virbhadra was the chief guest when the Pakistan Cricket team visited Dharamsala after the Kargil war in 2005, Anurag asked the CM to clarify that why he took a different stand this time and played politics on sports.

“The Chief Minister should clarify his stand which has dented the reputation of the state and disappointed cricket lovers within 48 hours failing which we will expose him,” he said.

Launching the yatra, the BJYM president said it was aimed at fostering unity by defeating the anti-national forces, especially in the backdrop of incidents at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

Coming down heavily on the Congress on the JNU issue, the BJYM leader said Left parties were known for taking anti-national stance but after the support given by Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders to JNU students’ leader Kanhaiya, the party had proved that it was no different than Left parties.

Asking Rahul Gandhi and Virbhadra Singh to clarify their stand on the JNU incident in which pro-Pakistan and anti-India slogans were allegedly raised and Afzal Guru was glorified, he said they must tell the nation that weather they were with the nationalist forces or anti-nationals elements.

Lashing out at AICC president Sonia Gandhi for politicising the Ishrat Jahan case to unleash political vendetta against BJP leaders by framing them in false cases, Anurag said even after the RAW, IB, NIA, NSA had said Ishrat Jahan was a terrorist, the Congress supremo continued playing politics in her name.

Anurag had no answer when asked that even senior BJP leader and sitting MP from Kangra Shanta Kumar also opposed the match between India and Pakistan in Dharamsala.