Forfeiting Against Pakistan Would Be Worse Than Surrender: Shashi Tharoor

While the cricketing world is busy speculating over whether India would boycott Pakistan in the upcoming World Cup in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has said forfeiting the match would not just cost two points but also be “worse than surrender”. The attack, which was carried out by Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-E-Mohammed, claimed the lives of 44 CRPF jawans.

In the wake of the attack, there has been a nationwide protest against Pakistan and cricket has not remained far behind. Last week, IMG-Reliance pulled out of its deal to produce television coverage of the ongoing Pakistan Super League worldwide.  Before that, DSport, which was broadcasting the game in India, had also stopped the coverage. In other show of protests, Cricket Club of India had covered the portrait of former Pakistan skipper Imran Khan in its restaurant.

The public then demanded the boycott of Pakistan in the upcoming World Cup. Reports then suggest that the BCCI is planning to persuade ICC to ban Pakistan from World Cup. And the Indian board has now written to the ICC, asking the “cricketing community to sever ties with countries from which terrorism emanates”.

However, Shashi Tharoor feels boycotting Pakistan is not the solution. He took to Twitter to give his views on the topic, saying:

“Reminder: at the height of the 1999 Kargil War, India played Pakistan in the cricket World Cup and won. To forfeit the match this year would not just cost two points: it would be worse than surrender, since it would be defeat without a fight.”

Reminder: at the height of the 1999 Kargil War, India played Pakistan in the cricket World Cup, & won. To forfeit the match this year would not just cost two points: it would be worse than surrender, since it would be defeat without a fight. https://t.co/RDgn7VEB5r

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) February 22, 2019

In another tweet, he wrote:

“Our government did not even declare national mourning wants to cancel a match 3 months from now? Is that a serious response to 40 lives taken in cold blood? BJP wants to divert attention from its own fecklessness and inept handling of the crisis. We need effective action, not gesture politics.”

Our government did not even declare national mourning wants to cancel a match 3 months from now? Is that a serious response to 40 lives taken in cold blood? BJP wants2divert attn from its own fecklessness&inept handling of the crisis.We need effective action, not gesture politics https://t.co/KJZjAVDX72

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) February 22, 2019

India, meanwhile, are scheduled to lock horns against Pakistan in the World Cup on June 16 in Manchester.