Sports Minister Vijay Goel’s statement saying that India won’t allow Pakistani players to compete in the Pro Kabaddi League even if they are selected by the organisers, is “most unsportsmanlike and deliberately provocative”, according to Rajindar Sachar, former president of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties.
Issuing a statement here on Wednesday, Sachar said: “The Sports Ministry is supposed to advance the cause of better relations through sports; not stifle it by purporting to lay down foreign policy.”
“I feel Mr Goel is purporting to take a position beyond his power as a Sports Minister, which is to encourage inter-state friendly sporting activities,” Sachar said in the statement.
“We may regret the antics of the Pakistan government, but at least let us keep the contact open through sports,” the statement said.