SATARA, Nov 24: Close on the heels of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray taking the cricket issue to a flashpoint, the Sena office-bearers are planning to take up the "responsibility" of disrupting the Pakistan cricket team's India tour scheduled for early next year, it is learnt.Although the police top brass here refused to comment on the issue, sources say that the State CID has already begun investigating "certain tips" received after a meeting of the Sena men at the Shikhar Shingnapur shrine recently.It may be recalled here that a Sena deputy leader reportedly told media persons in Mumbai that Shiv Sena would devise a plan to stall the Pakistan cricket team's India tour.Even before the Sena supremo came out in the open against Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde's promise to provide security for the visiting Pakistan team , a group of Shivsainiks in Satara met at the Shikhar Shingnapur shrine and took an oath to "complete the mission", unconfirmed reports said. The meeting was reportedly attended by a few senior office-bearers of Satara unit of the party and some 15 others.Taking note of reports of the Shikhar Shingnapur meeting, the investigations have begun. Munde has also asked for information about certain Sena office bearers in Satara,it was learnt.Munde today said there was no tension in the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance over the issue of the cricket team playing in the country. Talking to reporters in his chamber at Mantralaya, Munde said the alliance and the Government would stay on.He said according to his information, the Pakistanis will not play in Nagpur or Mumbai the test centres. Munde, said he would provide full protection to the team if they play anywhere in the State. "But, I don't think they are coming to the State," he added. On Thackeray's threat, he refused to comment. On whether it was the BJP who is desperate to carry on with the alliance, he said it was in the interest of both the parties to continue.Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sharad Pawar today ridiculed Thackeray's adamant stand on the proposed Pakistani cricket team's tour of India and threat to call off the alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the issue. He said it was only "power that bound them together." Talking to reporters at his residence, Ramalaya, Pawar described Thackeray's threat as "foolish". "He does not own the country. In sports and culture, there should be no barriers," he said, adding that he was glad that Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had taken a sensible stand over it.Munde said the joint co-ordination committee meeting which would deliberate on the issue of free electricity to farmers would meet before the December 14 winter session at Nagpur. On the reported meeting of independent MLAs with Pawar, he said they have been meeting him over the last three and half years, but have always supported the alliance.
