India insists Pakistan tour still on after Hindu protest

About 25 supporters of firebrand Hindu leader Bal Thackeray's Shiv Sena party stormed New Delhi's Ferozeshah Kotla stadium, venue of the first Test, on Wednesday night and dug up the pitch. Four were arrested.

Delhi cricket secretary Sunil Dev said the damage was ``minimal and repairable'' and was confident the wicket would be ready for the start of the Test series on January 28.

``Cricket lovers all over India are waiting for this tour, and we will make sure it takes place,'' Dev said. ``We cannot be taken to ransom by fanatics not interested in the game.''

The Shiv Sena said they would ``go to any extent'' to prevent the Pakistani cricketers from playing in India.

``Games are played between friends and not enemies,'' said Jaya Bhagwan Goel, the head of the party's Delhi unit. ``How can you play with a country which is bent on destroying you.''

Goel also threatened physical assault on the tourists, saying ``it was now for Pakistan to think about the safety of it's players. Everything is possible in this charged atmosphere.''

In Bombay, Shiv Sena spokesman Subhash Desai said the vanadals were ``real patriots,'' and warned that the Pakistanis would not be allowed to play ``even if the venues are shifted.''

Despite the troubles, Pakistan captain designate Wasim Akram insisted the tour should go ahead.

``Its very sad to hear that some people are bent upon mixing sports and politics. Its very sad that they have showed their anger on a pitch whereas it should have been left to play only,'' Wasim told AFP in Karachi.

``We are going there to better the relations between the two countries and I hope the Indian government will not allow a handful of people to deprive cricket lovers of some action- and tension-packed cricket.''

PCB chief executive Majid Khan said the team's tour to India was in no danger and would go ahead as planned.

``We are monitoring the situation and since the Indian government has given the clearance there are no fears,'' Majid said.

Police tightened security around the Kotla ground and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ordered other centers staging Pakistan's matches to follow suit.

``All the venues will be protected with immediate effect,'' BCCI secretary Jayawant Lele said, adding he was in constant touch with the Indian government and Pakistani cricket officials.

Pakistan, who last played a Test on Indian soil in March 1987, arrive here on January 21 for a two-Test series, the Asian Test championship opener against India and a triangular one-day series also featuring Sri Lanka across India.

In 1991, Thackeray's supporters vandalised the pitch at Bombay's Wankhede stadium two days before Pakistan were to start a limited over series in India.

Pakistan cancelled that tour, and two more in 1993 and 1994, because of security fears. But they played in India during the 1996 World Cup and the Independence Cup the following year without any problems.

Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has personally pledged to protect the visitors.

Pakistan are not scheduled to play in the Shiv Sena-controlled western state of Maharashtra, including the cricket-mad state capital of Bombay, during the two-month tour.

Four people arrested for damaging the Kotla wicket admitted they were carrying out instructions from Thackeray, who said on Monday his ``boys'' were taking steps to prevent the tour from going ahead.

The vandals struck late on Wednesday after scaling the walls of the stadium from an adjacent petrol pump. Police officials on the spot did nothing to stop the damage.

``Luckily, it was very dark and also raining,'' Dev said. ``They probably could not see properly because there are only small holes on the wicket.''