Jammu & Kashmir

We were told we have a match today, says youth ‘forced to sit’ in Rajnath’s speech

‘If the sports council has a political agenda, they should come out openly and express it’ 

Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh reached Srinagar on a 2-day visit to Jammu & Kashmir. He is accompanied by Union Home Secretary, Rajiv Gauba and other senior officers of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The visit of Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh is not just a usual visit but part of a ‘bigger exercise which started with the announcement of the Ramzan ceasefire announced by the Modi government, the government spokesperson Naeem Akhtar had said.

For this scores of youth from Kashmir were told that they have to participate in cricket, volleyball, football and other games however, some of them say that, they were forced to sit in a gathering where Rajnath Singh facilitated some players.

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“I have played various football matches under Sports council Jammu Kashmir, but this is very unfortunate,” a youth who wished to not be named said. “If the sports council has a political agenda, they should come out openly and express it, they should not hide anything.”

Speaking to Free Press Kashmir, the student player from Southern part of Kashmir said that the coaches told them there was a match which they had to play. Many others with them were also told the same.

Rajnath Singh who is on a visit to the Kashmir valley as a part of an outreach to the youth, is expected to announce a financial package for the creation of sports facilities in JK.

The Government of India has taken a decision to allocate ₹160 crore to develop 20 indoor stadiums in JK.

Singh began his two-day visit to the State on Thursday and is expected to visit Kupwara in north Kashmir on Friday to meet people living near the Line of Control.

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Pertinently last year on May 16, Azadi slogans greeted Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti when thousands of women marched out of an official function at Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) and led a procession demanding “freedom from India”, under the noses of security personnel and government functionaries.

Participants complained that they were misled by the authorities as they were told that they will be given free gas connections and training at Bakshi stadium Srinagar. More than 12,000 women from different districts of the Kashmir valley had convened at SKICC for an interaction with self-help groups organised under the Jammu and Kashmir State Rural Livelihood Mission.

 

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