India-Pak cricket game nothing less than war, claims Sehwag
“Ready to join politics if I get contract worth at least 100cr by any party”
Panaji, Apr 12: A cricket match between India and Pakistan is nothing less than war, former India opener Virender Sehwag said here Friday.
Speaking to reporters at an event, Sehwag brushed aside queries on whether he intended to join politics with jestful remarks. He stressed that people should vote for a leader who is decisive, though he refused to take any name.
Asked if India should play Pakistan in the World Cup, he said, "There are two points which are discussed, whether we should have a war with Pakistan or not (and whether we should play Pakistan)."
"That is also one point that is discussed. We should do whatever is good for the country's welfare. When India and Pakistan play a match, it is nothing less than a war. We should win the war, not lose it," he told reporters at Goa Fest, an annual event organised here by advertising associations.
The World Cup will be played in England and Wales between May 30 and July 14 this year.
Facing a volley of questions on ongoing Lok Sabha polls, Sehwag said, "I feel a leader should have the courage to take decisions, quick decisions in the interest of the country, in the interest of the Army and the interest of the police."
He said if people started voting for leaders and not on the basis of party lines, then "half the leaders" wouldn't get elected.
"They (the leaders) get elected because people vote for the party. The person who can take decisions should get elected, irrespective of which party he is from," he claimed.
He said the police and the Army should not be kept "suppressed", adding that he wanted the country to prosper and not "any particular person".
Asked if he intended to join politics, Sehwag quipped, "I have always worked on contract. Right from Ranji to the IPL (Indian Premier League), whichever party gives me a good contract, I will join."
On a lighter note, he added, "The contract should not be less than Rs 100 crore."
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar accuses LDF, UDF of backing Iran over Keralites in Gulf
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Monday hit out at both the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and the opposition Congress-led UDF, saying that their reactions to the recent conflict in West Asia show that they are supporting Iran rather than standing with the people of Kerala living in the Gulf countries.
He accused both fronts of "playing politics" in the name of religion and appeasement ahead of State Assembly elections, rather than taking a clear stand on the crisis.
It is "surprising" that the Left Democrat Front and United Democratic Front are "supporting" Iran -- which is attacking Gulf countries that economically sustain Kerala and are considered a second home by Keralites, Chandrasekhar said in a statement here.
The BJP leader said Keralites, many of whom depend on jobs in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, are anxious about the situation.
He underlined that the first priority should be the safety and security of expatriate workers and their families, not political gains.
His statement comes a day after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan alleged that the United States was displaying "hooliganism" against Iran and accused it of taking "irrational" actions that undermine the sovereignty of nations.
The Congress has also "unequivocally" condemned the targeted assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and said no external power has the authority to engineer a regime change, as such actions amount to imperialism and are incompatible with a rules-based international order.
Chandrasekhar said that the central government is offering help and guidance to Indian citizens in the region, and urged people not to panic.
To assist those affected, the Kerala BJP has opened helpdesks in 30 district offices and launched a toll-free number -- 1800-257-4357 --for Keralites seeking information or support connected to the conflict, the statement said.
