Union Min Ramdas Athawale backs boycott of India-Pakistan T20 WC game over J&K killings

After Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Asaduddin Owaisi, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Tuesday demanded the boycott of India-Pakistan T20 World Cup Cricket match on October 24, after the recent targetted civilian killings in Jammu and Kashmir. 

Athawale said, "It is wrong for India to have a match with Pakistan. The match between India and Pakistan (upcoming T20 World Cup) should be stopped. Our players should also refuse to play with Pakistan. I will write a letter to Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur regarding this."

While speaking at a press conference held in Pune, the Union Minister further said,

"Pakistan is plotting to carry out terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. Terrorist attacks are being carried out on the workers working there. Many are coming to Jammu and Kashmir to do business, they are being killed by terrorists. Terrorists have targeted many people coming to Jammu and Kashmir from other states for business. To prevent all this, another surgical strike will have to be launched on Pakistan."

Earlier, the AAP extended support to the growing chorus for a boycott of the India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup match, citing the civilian killings in J&K. Addressing a press brief, party leader Atishi Marlena stated,

"We see people being attacked in Kashmir. I'm sure that even PM agrees with the stand of not conducting the match (IND v PAK) as when in opposition he used to question that when state-sponsored terrorism is taking place in India why should we play cricket with them?"

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the recent targetted civilian killings and said, 

"PM Modi never speaks on two things- rise in petrol and diesel prices and China sitting in our territory in Ladakh. PM is afraid of speaking on China. Modi ji, Our 9 soldiers died (in J&K) and on October 24 India-Pakistan T20 match will take place."

Targeted civilian killings in Jammu & Kashmir 

A total of 11 civilians have been killed by various Pakistan-backed terrorist organisations over several weeks. Recently, two labourers from Bihar named Raja Reshi Dev and Yoginder Reshi Dev were shot dead in Kulgam on Saturday. Earlier, a hawker from Bihar named Arbind Kumar Sah and a carpenter from Uttar Pradesh named Sagir Ahmad were also killed.

Of the 11 people killed, five were non-locals while the remaining were Kashmiri residents. The targeted killings started with the gunning down of Makhan Lal Bindroo, a prominent member of the Kashmiri Pandit community and the owner of a pharmacy in Srinagar. Later, two teachers - Deepak Chand and Supinder Kaur, and a street food vendor named Virender Paswan were killed by terrorists.

In all instances, terrorists checked the Aaadhar cards of their victims and gunned them down if found to be non-locals or non-Muslims. In response, the NIA has conducted raids at several locations in the Kashmir valley and other major cities against terrorist organisations such as TRF, LeT and Hizbul Mujahideen.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will take over the probe of four cases, including the killing of ML Bindroo, a Kashmiri Pandit and pharmacist.