New Delhi, April 1(IANS) The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday sought an early end to the controversy over the ban on Indian television news channels from covering Saturday’s World Cup final between India and Sri Lanka in Mumbai.
Cricket was viewed with passion across the country and the viewers’ interests should be protected, the two parties said.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) barred Indian television news channels from covering the World Cup final in Mumbai Saturday, accusing them of breaching the accreditation guidelines.
BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said cricket was not a mere game in India but almost a national game and regardless of the commercial agreement, people’s rights should not be compromised.
‘It is not just a game, but a national game. People want to know about cricket, cricketers,’ he said.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said it was in the interest of all parties that the issue is resolved at the earliest.
‘I do not think this is an issue which should derail and spoil atmospherics on the eve of the final. The controversy is not good for public, the ICC and the media,’ he said.
‘We hope it is settled immediately, if possible before the finals,’ Singhvi added.
Representatives of the channels, who had come to attend the pre-match press conferences of the rival captains and ICC president Sharad Pawar were asked to stay out of the Wankhede stadium complex in Mumbai.
During the semifinal match in Mohali, ICC officials had allowed only those channels who were not in the banned list to enter the stadium while others had to report from outside the venue.
