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Nothing wrong in Pak cricketers playing in IPL: Gadkari

Last Updated 22 January 2010, 04:39 IST

"I feel what is the fault of the cricketers in this. We also feel a cricketer is not an extremist nor is he a supporter (of terrorism).
"Not all (Pakistani) citizens are like that or whole government is like that...this is not the case," he told CNN-IBN, when asked about Pakistani cricketers being kept out of the IPL bidding.

He said, "I think we should play. I am telling you repeatedly that we should make all efforts for a smooth relationship. But at the same time, this will be fruitful only if Pakistan makes a commitment that we will not do this (cross-border terrorism) and will prove this," Gadkari said.

The BJP president asserted that once this was done some good will come out of our efforts.
However, later Gadkari clarified that BJP was not against cricket or sports or against talks with Pakistan.

"But till there is cross border terrorism and Pakistan allows its soil for anti-India activities it is futile to engage with them," Gadkari said.

He insisted that wherever good efforts can be made, one should make them.
"But the ideal condition is that on the ground reality (sic) level unless the Pakistan government seriously accepts that we won't get into this (terrorism), that we will not support it directly or indirectly, till then we will not get good results," Gadkari said.
BJP has been against any engagement with Pakistan till it brings to book the perpetrators of Mumbai attacks.

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(Published 22 January 2010, 04:39 IST)

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