After Imran Khan's picture concealed at Cricket Club of India's All Rounder restaurant, Shiv Sena warns it should not reappear
Imran Khan's image in the wall mural has been concealed with a white screen. Pic/ANI's Twitter
Premal Udani, president Cricket Club of India (CCI), maintains that the SoBo club covered up Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's picture off its own bat, and that there was no pressure to do so. However, insiders say that it was only after a visit from the Shiv Sena that the mural was covered. Sena members also threatened CCI to keep Khan's picture covered, or face action from them.
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Khan's picture is part of a wall mural at the club's ground-floor restaurant, All Rounder. Udani said they had included Khan's image in the mural because he was a world-renowned cricketer, but decided to cover it up "to express our deep anguish at what has transpired [the Pulwama attacks]." He stressed, though, that there was "no pressure on the club to cover the picture, contrary to the buzz, a political party did come to the club. We covered the picture ourselves. We cannot remove it [the mural] at once, as it will require closure of the restaurant. For now, though, the picture has been obliterated."
Ganesh Sanap, former Colaba corporator from Sena, said, "We learnt that there was a picture of Imran Khan inside a restaurant at the club, and visited CCI telling them to remove it. I saw that it was covered on Saturday. I told the club officials that it should have been removed when he became PM of a nation that is attacking us, and is hostile and antithetical to India's interests."
Removal not easy
Former CCI president Sevanti Parikh said, "Khan's picture in this mural has always evoked strong reactions. When I was president, there had been discussions on some occasions on whether we should still have his picture. Then, some thought since we are a sporting club and other cricket captains' pictures were also present, we should let it be. The way it is made, if his picture is to be removed, the entire mural will have to be dismantled."
Sena's threat
Sanap warned, "Desh bhakts will remove the mural, if need be. The Shiv Sena ideology is nation first, then cricket. We also stressed on snapping cricket ties with Pak. We do not want to see his picture here, and if it reappears, the Sainiks will take appropriate action."
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