Exercise restraint, Dasmunsi tells fans

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi Saturday appealed to cricket lovers across India to exercise restraint following a nationwide disappointment over Team India's dismal loss to Sri Lanka in the World Cup.

Appealing to the fans, Dasmunsi said: "In every game, be it national or international, there is a victory and defeat. In true sportsman's spirit, we should not make any demonstration before the house of the players or to harass their families".

Stung by the sound thrashing by Sri Lanka, cricket-crazy India was engulfed in gloom, with cricket board chief Sharad Pawar calling it a time for taking harsh measures and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad demanding the sacking of the team and its Australian coach Greg Chappell.

The national despondency over the abject capitulation of the Indian team to their adversaries in the first round World Cup match that virtually knocked them out of competition, expressed itself in protests and effigy-burning across the country.

Sensing the mood of the frenetic mobs, authorities posted police pickets in front of Sachin Tendulkar's house to protect members of his family from possible untoward incidents, the first time in the country's cricket history.

Police guards were also posted in front of the house of selection committee member Venkatapathy Raju in Hyderabad after angry mobs demonstrated before it scaring members of the family.

(IANS)

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