CHENNAI: With anti-Sri Lankan sentiments being whipped up in Tamil Nadu, chief minister J Jayalalithaa said on Tuesday that her government will not permit IPL matches in Chennai that involve Sri Lankan players, umpires and even support staff for the event. "In view of the popular antipathy and anger in Tamil Nadu against the actions of the government of Sri Lanka, the state government is of the view that IPL matches involving Sri Lankan players, umpires and other officials should not be played in Tamil Nadu," she said in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The chief minister said the BCCI may be advised by the Centre to prevail upon the IPL organizers not to allow Sri Lankan players, officials, umpires and support staff to take part in the tournament in Tamil Nadu. "We will permit IPL matches to be held in Tamil Nadu, only if organizers provide an undertaking that no Sri Lankan players, umpires, officials or support staff participate in these matches," she said.
Justifying her stand, Jayalalithaa said, "In such a hostile and tense environment, we apprehend that the participation of Sri Lankan players in the IPL tournament, with many games to be played in Chennai, will aggravate an already surcharged atmosphere and further offend the sentiments of the people." Pointing out that all political parties in Tamil Nadu have repeatedly voiced their grave concern regarding these issues, she said, "The atmosphere is, therefore, already surcharged with a groundswell of popular opinion against the Sri Lankan government." |
