Agricultural Minister and ICC president-elect Sharad Pawar along with BCCI president Shashank Manohar met Bal Thackery on Sunday to discuss the issue of Shive Sena’s threat against Aussie players in IPL. The meeting held at Thackeray’s residence was also attended by Sena’s executive president Uddhav Thackeray and party’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut.

To protest against the recent racist attacks against Indians in Australia, Shiv Sena had threatened to announce a ban on Australian cricketers in IPL. After the meeting, BCCI president Manohar told to the press that they had requested Thackery to allow two to three Australian players to play in Maharashtra in each of the IPL team and Thackery have asked to give their views in writing.

Ruling congress is surprised by this visit if it’s Agricultural Minister to request Bal Thackery and Shive Sena not to disrupt matches, even when the Union Home Minister and the Maharashtra government have assured repeatedly that adequate security will be provided to all Australian players during the IPL. The meeting is also significant over the fact that it comes days after Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi took on the Shiv Sena in Bihar and its home turf Mumbai saying that “I am not interested in what Uddhav or Bal Thackeray have to say”. Even Shah Rukh Khan have refused to apologize to the Sena over it’s remarks against him over the issue of allowing Pak players in IPL.

Abhishek Later Manu Singhvi, spokesperson of Congress clarified his party’s stand that “We can’t stop people meeting anyone, but if there’s no explanation forthcoming it will be seen as peculiar,”