FISA urges Sena to withdraw threat against Oz cricketers

Melbourne, Feb 10 (PTI) Stopping Australian cricketers
from playing in Indian Premier League is not the right way to
protest violent attacks on Indians living Down Under, said the
Federation of Indian Students Association (FISA), urging the
Shiv Sena to withdraw its threat.
The right-wing party has threatened to stop Aussie
cricketers from playing in Mumbai during the IPL, which has
prompted Board of Control for Cricket in India chief Shashank
Manohar to meet the party's chief Bal Thackeray on the issue.
FISA said Sena's approach was not correct and Aussie
players should not be targeted.
"We will ask them (Shiv Sena) to withdraw sanctions and
indeed welcome them as partners of all Indians in Australia,"
FISA spokesman Gautam Gupta said at a press conference along
with Cricket Australia spokesperson Peter Young and Victorian
coach Greg Shipperd here on Wednesday.
Gupta said he would write to Thackeray on the matter as
such threats would only make life difficult for the Indian
students here.
"Till now, the victims were only poor Indian students.
Now, the controversy has taken wide proportions and has
engulfed players too. The recent (Shiv Sena) stand may make it
very difficult for students," Gupta said.
"We see cricket as an important tool to develop and grow
this relationship," he added. MORE PTI