<p>India cannot have a bilateral cricket series with Pakistan as it has crossed the "Lakshmana Rekha" by sponsoring terrorism in the country, Sports Minister Vijay Goel said today.<br /><br />"For everything there is a Lakshmana Rekha," Goel, who is leading a 200-member Indian youth delegation to China, told the media.<br /><br />"But when the line is crossed then a message has to be given. This (boycott) is a message," he said defending the policy not to have bilateral cricket series with Pakistan.<br /><br />"We have clearly stated terrorism and sports cannot go side-by-side. As long as Pakistan doesn't stop cross border terror and (instigating) trouble in Kashmir..then there is no chance for bilateral series and also the national mood doesn’t support it," Goel said.<br /><br />He declined to comment on the letter written by Ramachandra Guha, one of the four members of Supreme Court- appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA), to implement the recommendations of the Justice R M Lodha panel to reform the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).<br /><br />Goel said the cricket is managed by the BCCI as well as the apex court and he would not like comment on the cricket- related issues.<br /><br />He, however, referred to his ministry's proposal to have a sports code in India which should include cricket too.<br /><br />He outlined numerous programmes initiated by his ministry to improve sports on all fronts by expanding the sports infrastructure.<br /><br />It included a new App through which children above the age of eight years can highlight their talents in sports for his ministry to initiate follow up action.<br /><br />The Indian delegation is in China as part of an annual exchange programme.<br /><br />Both countries have been conducting youth exchanges since 2006. Last year a Chinese delegation visited India.<br /><br />The last bilateral series between India and Pakistan was played in 2012-13.</p>
<p>India cannot have a bilateral cricket series with Pakistan as it has crossed the "Lakshmana Rekha" by sponsoring terrorism in the country, Sports Minister Vijay Goel said today.<br /><br />"For everything there is a Lakshmana Rekha," Goel, who is leading a 200-member Indian youth delegation to China, told the media.<br /><br />"But when the line is crossed then a message has to be given. This (boycott) is a message," he said defending the policy not to have bilateral cricket series with Pakistan.<br /><br />"We have clearly stated terrorism and sports cannot go side-by-side. As long as Pakistan doesn't stop cross border terror and (instigating) trouble in Kashmir..then there is no chance for bilateral series and also the national mood doesn’t support it," Goel said.<br /><br />He declined to comment on the letter written by Ramachandra Guha, one of the four members of Supreme Court- appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA), to implement the recommendations of the Justice R M Lodha panel to reform the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).<br /><br />Goel said the cricket is managed by the BCCI as well as the apex court and he would not like comment on the cricket- related issues.<br /><br />He, however, referred to his ministry's proposal to have a sports code in India which should include cricket too.<br /><br />He outlined numerous programmes initiated by his ministry to improve sports on all fronts by expanding the sports infrastructure.<br /><br />It included a new App through which children above the age of eight years can highlight their talents in sports for his ministry to initiate follow up action.<br /><br />The Indian delegation is in China as part of an annual exchange programme.<br /><br />Both countries have been conducting youth exchanges since 2006. Last year a Chinese delegation visited India.<br /><br />The last bilateral series between India and Pakistan was played in 2012-13.</p>