The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Thursday joined Shiv Sena and strongly resented the participation of the Pakistani cricketers in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). "Pakistan and Bangladesh are having terrorist camps where terrorists are trained for anti-India activities. These countries, by their said action, are our enemies. Why have players from countries who are our enemies?" International president of VHP, Ashok Singhal, told reporters in Chennai on Thursday. Shiv Sena executive vice president Uddhav Thackeray had, on May 16, expressed his party' opposition to the Pakistani players, saying they came from an ‘enemy’ country. The IPL features a number of Pakistani cricketers. The Kolkata Knight Riders alone has the Pakistani quartet of Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Salman Butt and Mohammad Hafeez, while Rajasthan Royals squad include Kamran Akmal, Sohail Tanveer and Younis Khan. Misbah-ul-Haq is part of the Bangalore Royal Challengers, while Shahid Afridi is a regular fixture in the Deccan Chargers side. A staunch critic of Pakistan, Singhal also called for severing of all ties with the country, even as high level talks between the two nations ended on Wednesday. "Sever all relations with Pakistan. It is not a viable nation; it will destroy itself," said Singhal, who is on a south India tour to meet various religious leaders, including Jayendra Saraswati of Kancheepuram and Sathya Sai Baba of Puthaparthi.
