Pakistani players had to be whisked away and the team subsequently left Mumbai on Monday for New Delhi.
MUMBAI: A new franchise-based Indian hockey league faces the prospect of being forced out of Mumbai after heightened regional political tensions led to protests against Pakistani players competing in the IPL-style event on Sunday.
Following the latest outbreak of violence in disputed Kashmir, around 100 workers of the hardline right-wing Shiv Sena party protested at a stadium where the Mumbai Magicians team, who have four Pakistani players in their squad, were practising.
The players had to be whisked away and the team subsequently left Mumbai on Monday for New Delhi, where the inaugural match of the five-team Hockey India League (HIL) will be held.
Local organisers are unsure if they will be able to hold the franchise's home matches in Mumbai if Pakistani players remain in the side.
"It does not depend any longer on the HIL and the players. It will now depend on the government of India's stand and the government of Maharashtra's stand," Ram Singh Rathor, the secretary of Mumbai Hockey Association, told Reuters.
"I think it will be a very difficult situation if we have to play with the Pakistani players in Mumbai."
The Mumbai police said they had beefed up security at the practice venue after they became aware of the protests.
"No players are there in Mumbai currently. We will hold discussions with the HIL and understand their plans and make arrangements accordingly," Ravindra Shishve, the deputy commissioner of police (Zone-I), said by phone.
"It is too premature for me to speak about the details of the arrangements."
Shiv Sena, who dug up the Wankhede Stadium pitch in 1991 on the eve of a test match between the two countries, called for the players' visas be cancelled.
"We will not allow Pakistani players or artists to perform here," Rahul Narvekar, a spokesperson for the Hindu right-wing party, told Reuters.
"Pakistan is involved in militant attacks on India and you are letting them make money in India... this is injustice to the martyrs who have died in these attacks."
The city was also omitted as a venue last month when Pakistan toured India for its first bilateral cricket series in seven years.
Mumbai is scheduled to hold its first HIL match on Sunday but Rathor said that the issue needed to be discussed at the highest level of administration before they could proceed.
"Yesterday was only a practice session, so we could manage it. But what will we do if such things happen when the whole stadium is packed with spectators?" Rathor added.
"It is not only a question for the players but it has to deal with the safety and security of the crowd also.
"It's always a problem in Mumbai if you are holding matches which have Pakistan players. I was speaking to the police and they also have their own concerns."
COMMENTS (13)
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This happens only in mumbai
Why on earth should Pakistan's hockey players head to a hostile state to participate in their national league? Where has all national pride gone?
@Blithe:
If it makes you happy, you can jump up and down about the issues plagueing India. Indians are not Pakistanis, who live in denial and blame others for their issues. We are aware of it. If we start writing about positives of India, or negatives of Pakistan, this space will be too small. Get a life and dont forget your creation was based on hatred.
@Harit: "Dear G.Din Jinn Calm down Who gives a damn! No one asked you to give anything to anyone. Eat and enjoy your own damn." I apologize if I hurt your bloated sense of self-importance, sir, because no Indian apparently cared to come ask for your approval. The word "Who" in my comment referred to everyone else but you. Not just the lowly me. You do understand, I hope, that you may disagree with something but you cannot disapprove unless the approval authority rests with you which, in this case, doesn't. In any case, you have cleared your name with your Pakistani fans and followers. That is what is more important. I can see your language has begun to resemble theirs. Now that you have clarified your take on the Hockey question, what is your take on the 20+-strong Pakistani delegation to "Vibrant Gujarat" convention being asked not to attend it and to leave Gujarat? Disapprove or disagree ? And, does it matter either way?
@Harit @Anand: Appreciate your constructive comments. You guys should post here more often, otherwise the trolls will give all Indians a bad name here.
@Indian: Excuse me! I personally think that it's Indians living in a ghetto .
The reply to mr. Patel
10 predictions for India:
1) Naxalites movement has consumed 45 percent of India. This is an insurgency that will lead to East separating from the West.
2) Almost 50 percent of Indians refuse to speak Hindi (on purpose as they do not believe in union of India). Such fissures and popular politics on caste and linguistics will expedite breakup of India.
3) Kashmir occupation by India is a violation of UN resolutions and is a untenable position . Kashmiris will get independence from India. This will create a domino effect . India will die by a thousand cuts.
4) India has an insignificant manufacturing base . Trade deficit is USD 160 . Without hot money coming to their stock market , India will remain an economic basket case .
5) corruption like the telecom scandal that cost India's exchequer USD 40bio , is rampant. Ease of doing business in India is worse than in Pakistan - one reason cited is the institutional corruption in India.
6) disparity between rich and poor, wedded in the casts system , will continue to be a serious problem for India. Gini coefficient in India is far worse than in Pakistan .
7) female infanticide / selective abortion is the worst in the world in India. In the future Indian men will not find ladies to marry and will get frustrated . Ratio at birth in India is 112: 100 ( in Pakistan it is the same as in UK , 105: 100) . A reason why Pakistan has a near normal ratio is because the Islamic religion does not permit female infanticide ( whereas Hindu religion is not clear on this )
8) Indians will continue to vote on caste and not Ideas ( Mayawati example in UP). Indians are so fractured that they will not be able to vote beyond caste and language .
9) Indian government and universities are working on caste quotas . This will continue to create problems of meritocracy in India.
10) 75 percent of Indians live below USD 2 a day , far more in Pakistan . The veneer of 'India Shinning' has already come off and more frustrated vIndians will continue to write frustrated articles/ post comments on ET
Dear G.Din Jinn
Calm down.
Who gives a damn!
No one asked you to give anything to anyone. Eat and enjoy your own damn.
LOC tension is serious. More grave is mutilation of soldiers which warrant immediate review of circumstances surrounding the flash point.
However players are not just the link between India-Pak. Selectively targeting few Hockey players is not going to serve any purpose except jingoism. If Hockey players are turned back then next will be artists from Pakistan. And if it will go on then Bus-Train service will also be closed down. Next in line will be trade through Vagha boarder.
Basic reason of this current escalation of conflict is Pakistani Army establishment’s endless obsession of seeking parity with India and using Jihadi forces to gain strategic advantage in neighborhood. This self destructive policy adapted by Pakistani state has brought entire country into extreme fragile state where scores of Pakistani people are being killed by the very forces of darkness those were created by Pakistani ruling elites.
There are ways to deal with Pakistan in current tense scenario but I don’t think protesting few Pakistani players is one of them.
Yes, good job by ShivajiSena....Bring anyone to India , except Pakistanis..... Let them live in their gheto
well done ss , we are with you .:)
And then they call us an extremist country!!??
@Harit: "As an Indian I disapprove this protest." Who gives a damn! "So far Indian government hasn’t scrapped sports relations so it is unwise to protest over the participation of Pakistani players in Hockey League." Are you waiting for Indian government's fatwa? It does not work like that in a Democracy. Indian government is a creature of Indians, not the other way around! Especially so for this government which is teetering on a thin and uncertain majority. It has no moral right to issue any fatwas! Even if it issued one, the only way it can enforce it is by calling in the army!
As an Indian I disapprove this protest. When India has just finished cricket series with Pakistan, objection raised over Hockey League isn't sustainable. Though there is tension at LOC but sport ties are better keep out of usual political meddling. Things haven’t gotten bad to such extent that we do not play each other.
Either both have ties or don’t.
So far Indian government hasn't scrapped sports relations so it is unwise to protest over the participation of Pakistani players in Hockey League.
This is madness by the sena. I am an indian and i welcome Pakistanis to play in India. We should play them in IPL too . Such talented players skills should be witnessed by Indian public. I went to the recent matches and I can vouch for how much appreciation Indian crowds had for Pak bowlers