Mumbai: Security tightened at BCCI HQ after Shiv Sena workers' protest pic.twitter.com/HdkrejG3q0 — ANI (@ANI_news) October 19, 2015

BCCI is a responsible body and will not do anything against national interest. Cricketing decisions should be left to BCCI. — Rajeev Shukla (@ShuklaRajiv) October 19, 2015



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MUMBAI: The prospects of an India-Pakistan series in December, which were slender to begin with, now appear totally non-existent after Shiv Sena workers stormed the headquarters of the Indian cricket board (BCCI) and scuttled the talks scheduled between BCCI chief Shashank Manohar and his Pakistan counterpart Shahryar Khan .In a complete breakdown of security, a mob of nearly 200 Sainiks barged into Manohar’s office at the BCCI headquarters at Wankhede stadium, gheraoed him and raised anti-Pakistan slogans. The richest cricket board in the world was held hostage by the Sainiks while the BJP state government once again failed to stop its ally from flexing its muscles in defiance of law.Shahryar and PCB chief executive Najam Sethi were not present at the venue. They were advised not to leave their south Mumbai hotel, which is a five-minute drive from the BCCI headquarters.Later in the afternoon, the PCB delegation headed to the airport and left for Delhi amidst heavy police security. It is expected that the Pakistani team may meet finance minister Arun Jaitley, an influential member of the BCCI, in the capital today.A few hours after the protests in Mumbai, BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur strongly condemned the Sena’s actions but also clarified at a press conference in Delhi that there was no possibility of early resumption of a bilateral cricket series between Indian and Pakistan.“First of all I condemn this attack. You can't barge into BCCI premises and force people not to hold talks with the PCB chairman. I think the BCCI president is competent enough to discuss the matter with the PCB chairman but the final call is always taken after discussing with the Union government. In a democracy you can protest, but on the streets. Raise your voice but you can't barge into someone's home, office, headquarters, I think that was not fair,” he told mediapersons.However, Thakur told TOI, “We can discuss playing with Pakistan only after three conditions that we have insisted on are fulfilled. These are: safety of Indian players, interest of Indian cricket and sentiment of Indian people.” The final call on the matter would be the government's, he added.Just an hour before the Manohar-Khan meeting was slated to begin at 11am, Sainiks crashed through Wankhede’s gates carrying saffron and black flags, entered Manohar’s office, gheraoed him and raised slogans such as ‘Pakistan Murdabad’ and ‘Shahryar Khan go back.’ They were also carrying placards saying ‘Shahryar go back.’ They demanded that Manohar cancel his meeting with the PCB chairman.Ten Sainiks were arrested when a Marine Drive police team reached the spot but most of the Sainiks had by then managed to get away.“We charged them for unlawful assembly and violating the Bombay Police Act that says police permission is required for an assembly of five. No such permission was taken,” said DCP Dhananjay Kulkarni, Mumbai police spokesperson.The arrested Sainiks were taken to the Esplanade Court, which granted them bail on a bond of Rs 2,000 each.Khan and PCB’s executive committee head Najam Sethi are in India for talks after they discussed the planned series with Thakur earlier on the sidelines of the ICC meeting in Dubai. Thakur had apparently assured him a final decision could be taken later this month and conveyed Manohar’s invitation to them to visit India.There was speculation that the two neighbours could play either a bilateral series in the UAE or agree to a possible triangular series in December also involving Bangladesh, but all that looks a bleak possibility for now.Sources said the meeting was originally scheduled to be held in New Delhi but the venue was later changed to Mumbai. “We came to know last night that the meeting is in the morning in Mumbai,” said a Sena leader.The BJP expressed its disagreement with the Sena over the episode that came close on the heels of the cancellation of the Ghulam Ali concert and the ink attack on Sudheendra Kulkarni.BJP state president Raosaheb Danve said, “We are willing to have India-Pak cricket matches in Mumbai. The government will provide security if a match is scheduled in the city.”Danve reminded the Sena that it was part of the ruling alliance in Maharashtra and said the Sena had not informed the BJP in advance about its protest at Wankhede.Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) demanded that the Election Commission de-recognize the Sena. Preeti Sharma Menon, national spokesperson of AAP said, “Civil society must come together and demand a ban on the Sena, as they neither understand, nor participate, in upholding our Constitution or our democracy. Instead they are always ready to precipitate tensions with neighbouring countries. The EC should take note of it and de-recognise the party.”The Sena reacted strongly to this, with Sena leader Sanjay Raut saying, “Under which law will you take action against Sena? Indian or Pakistani penal code? Our stand is not against our country. We are proud Indians and we are proud of our Shiv Sainiks. They have not done anything wrong.”