India's kabaddi snub: Sikh community left hurt and disappointed

India’s refusal to send its kabaddi team for a friendly match against Pakistan, scheduled at Kartarpur Corridor on November 19, has immensely hurt Sikh community who had assembled to celebrate the birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak.

The match was scheduled to be held inside the samadhi of Baba Guru Nanak and it was going to be a unique event.

After India’s refusal, Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) held an alternative show between Royal King USA Club and BRB Kabaddi Club, featuring those Pakistani players who are registered with the clubs in the US and Canada.

According to sources, Sikhs were extremely angry over India’s stance to sabotage the kabaddi show at a time when all arrangements had been made by Pakistan.

Sources said that Sikhs were very excited to witness the game between the two of the world’s strongest sides who have a rich kabaddi history.

It has been learnt that Sikh community wants to keep sports away from politics.

“It’s hugely unfortunate. Indian government has played with our emotions,” a source, while quoting an Indian Sikh, who had arrived in Kartarpur to attend the Baba Guru Nanak birth anniversary, said.

Over 3,000 Sikhs from India had been issued Pakistan’s visas for attending the event in Kartarpur where special arrangements had been made for the kabaddi event also. Punjab government’s top functionaries were very keen to make this match a big success.

It was after long four years that both nations were about to clash in circle style kabaddi game since they last faced each other in the World Cup 2020 final which was hosted by Pakistan at the Punjab Stadium Lahore. Pakistan had downed India in the final after a highly sensational finish.

Pakistan had held its camp for the same game at Lahore’s Punjab Stadium but India felt reluctant to come and at the eleventh hour they pulled out leaving the kabaddi fans from across the border utterly disappointed.

Just after the game was cancelled a Pakistan kabaddi player had told Nukta that a great opportunity to renew rivalry was wasted.

“It shocked us a lot,” he had said.

Indian government sabotaging sports events

The Indian government does not spare any chance of sabotaging any major sports event hosted by Pakistan.

India has already created a big headache for Pakistan after it refused to come to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy which will be held in February-March next year. And it also recently did not issue NOC to its blind kabaddi team which was scheduled to feature in the T20 Blind Kabaddi World Cup which will begin at Lahore on Saturday.

A few years ago, Pakistan kabaddi players used to play in India’s Pro Kabaddi League. But in 2017 such doors were closed on them completely.

The then India’s sports minister Vijay Goel had said in 2017 that India would not allow visas to Pakistani players even if they were picked by franchises in the auction for the Pro League.

Kabaddi players in action at the Pakistan Sports Complex in Islamabad. PSB

Meanwhile Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) has also lodged its protest with the International Kabaddi Federation (IKF).

“Yes, we have written a letter to IKF and this matter will be on the top of the agenda in the IKF meeting which will be held in Kuwait in January,” a PKF source when contacted told Nukta.

“India has damaged all our hard work. We were set to extend them top hospitality but they wasted everything we had put in,” the source said.

PKF also was planning to hold a couple of more matches at other venues as it was after long time that India was about to tour Pakistan.

India’s sports history shows that it has always tried to unsettle Pakistan. However International Olympic Committee (IOC) is the only body which can take action against India.

In 2019 IOC had suspended India from hosting Olympic-related international events when India had refused to issue visas to two Pakistani shooters and a coach for the World Cup.