The Government today hit back at the Cricket Board for threatening to pull out of the World Cup and other major international tournaments and bluntly told it not to "dictate" its policies based on national interest.

A day after the Cricket Board said it would not participate in the Asia Cup in Pakistan in December this year, the ICC Knock-Out tournament in India next year and the World Cup in South Africa in 2003 till the Government clarified its policy regarding playing against Pakistan, Sports Minister Uma Bharti charged the Board with taking unilateral decisions.

In a hurriedly-summoned press conference, Bharti said the Government's approval regarding India's participation in multi-nation series had already been conveyed to BCCI. "As far as clarification is concerned, the Board never approached us formally. Therefore the question of issuing a clarification or guidelines does not arise," the minister said. Dismissing the Board's statements yesterday as mere pressure tactics, Bharti said, "Government's policy of not playing Pakistan in the present circumstances is a final one and India's self-respect and prestige, which are more important than everything else, will not be compromised. If BCCI says it is not going to participate in World Cup or any other tournament it's their headache," she said.

When her attention was drawn to the Board's query on what it should do if India were to play Pakistan in the World Cup, Bharti said, "our stand is clear...if such an unavoidable situation arises, India will go ahead and play. We are only against a planned bilateral cricket series against Pakistan."

"The time is not yet ripe for resuming bilateral cricketing relations with Pakistan," she said, adding, "cricket is not just an ordinary game. It is extraordinary in that it is an expression of national sentiment."

Expressing her surprise at BCCI taking a "decision on its own" not to play in major tournaments, she said "the unilateral decision of BCCI is hasty, inappropriate and unfortunate".

"The government takes foreign policy decisions keeping in mind national interests. The Board has no business to dictate policies to us," she said. Emphasising that the government decision was a collective one, she said it "decides its policy on the basis of national interest and not on extraneous considerations".

On whether India's chances of holding ICC Knockout tournament next year would be affected by government's policy, she said, "I had asked ICC President Malcolm Gray when he met me recently whether India's non-participation in the tri-series in Sharjah would affect our hosting the ICC Knockout and he replied in the negative saying it was a bilateral matter between India and Pakistan".

The Sports Minister said the government would extend full co- operation in hosting the ICC Knockout tournament. "Whatever clarification is required, BCCI is free to approach me. My telephone is working, my fax is working and my doors are always open," she said.

Bharti said there would be no problem about Pakistan's participation in the November 3-11 Afro-Asian Games and her ministry had already cleared India's participation in the Asian Junior Volleyball Championship to be held in Islamabad from May 10 to 19.

© PTI