Raj Thackeray, Cong bat for lifting Wankhede ban on SRK

With an unrelenting MCA determined to keep Wankhede stadium off limits for Shah Rukh Khan, MNS leader Raj Thackeray and the Congress party today batted for lifting the five-year ban on the actor imposed after last year's unsavoury brawl involving him.
While MNS chief Raj Thackeray termed Mumbai Cricket Association's action as "childish", Maharashtra Congress spokesman Sachin Sawant said the ban was "not a democratic punishment".
"Whatever happened (at) that time was wrong. The chapter is closed now. He should be allowed inside Wankhede stadium. He is not a terrorist who should be denied entry," Thackeray told reporters.
He said such "childishness" should stop and the Bollywood actor, the principal owner of IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders, be permitted entry.

Earlier, in an email sent today to MCA president Ravi Savant, MPCC spokesman Sachin Sawant said since Khan had publicly apologised for the incident, the stadium should not be out of bounds for the superstar.
"After the apology, we feel that it would be in the interest of sports if your esteemed organisation shows true sportsman spirit and allows entry to Khan. It is not the question of Shah Rukh Khan as an actor, but of any citizen - a ban is not a democratic punishment especially when the person has apologised," Sawant said.
"I request you to kindly reconsider the punishment given to him and allow him entry for today's match," the MPCC spokesman wrote.

The Kolkata team, reigning champion of the T20 league, are to take on Mumbai Indians at Wankhede this evening and Khan would be forced to watch the proceedings on TV if MCA does not rescind its decision, which seems quite unlikely.