Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray again warned that his party would not allow Australian cricketers to play during the upcoming Indian Premier League season three.
"We shall not allow them to play here," Thackeray declared on Monday. He has already maintained that until the attacks on Indians in Australia stop, his party would not permit Aussies to wield their bats here. Continue reading below
His remarks were presented in a video recording of his speech played on Monday evening at Rangsharda Auditorium in Bandra at a function organised in favour of 'Akhand Maharashtra' (United Maharasthra).
Thackeray's announcement comes nine days after union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar was called on February 7 at his residence to request and convince him to let Australaian players join the IPL.
At that time, Pawar was accompanied by Board of Control for Cricket in India president Shashank Manohar.
Following Thackeray's threat, mediapersons confronted Pawar near the BCCI on Monday evening, but the union minister declined to speak.
After his high-profile meeting with Thacekray, Manohar had said that the BCCI would make a presentation to the Sena chief explaining how many players of different countries, including Australia, would play during the IPL-III.
Pawar had also requested Thackeray not to mix sports and politics.
In his recorded speech Monday, Thackeray also lashed out at the government for "showing their love and affection" towards Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan.
"We were not opposed to the movie My Name Is Khan but to Khan who had favoured Pakistani cricketers," Thackeray said in his recorded speech.
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