Congress MLA Usman Majeed and Independent MLA Engineer Rashid on Tuesday strongly raised in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly the issue of four cricketers being detained for allegedly playing the Pakistani national anthem before a cricket match in Bandipora district on Sunday.
Majeed urged the state government to ‘pardon’ the young cricketers, while Rashid tried to defend them and protested in the House. Rashid was subsequently marshalled out of the House.
“I say sorry on their behalf in the House,” Majeed said. “They should be pardoned and cases against them should be withdrawn, as the government has withdrawn cases against stone pelters… We want our youth to take a positive direction,” he said.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested the four cricketers after a video surfaced on the Internet, purportedly showing the young men playing Pakistan’s national anthem ahead of a match.
Speaking to reporters later, Majeed strongly batted for their release. He said the cricketers might have acted under pressure from mischievous elements during the cricket match. “The police is after them. Some of them are in jail and others are on the run as media has given a lot of attention… I have raised the issue before the government to pardon them,” he said.
Raising the issue, MLA Rashid protested in the House and was soon marshalled out of the Assembly on the direction of the Speaker.
Later, he told reporters that his colleague in the House, Majeed, should not have apologised for the cricketers. “Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had been seeking votes for last eight years by displaying green clothes. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed thanked Pakistan and militants for his victory in the elections. An FIR should be registered against Mehbooba Mufti if you have registered FIR against the cricketers,” Rashid said.
Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir police have arrested four cricketers from Bandipora district of north Kashmir for their alleged participation in a pre-match ceremony during which national anthem of Pakistan was played.
A video of two cricket teams standing in a field wearing green and white uniforms and Pakistan national anthem being played in the background went viral on the social media last week.
The place was later identified as a sports field in Arin Bandipora district. The local police immediately swung into action and registered a case against the two teams under section 13 of RPC.
J&K police have already arrested four locals who were playing the match and initiated further investigation to identify the organisers and other players.
The police were also trying to ascertain whether the video is of a recent match and has it been morphed or doctored in any way.
“We have registered the case and investigation is going on,” SSP Bandipora, Sheikh Zulfikar Azad told ET.
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The concerned investigating official refused to give any futher details of the incident.
The police also claim to have got in touch with the village elders and asked them to stop the youngsters from indulging in any such activity in future.
After 2016 political protests, which continued for five months, trend of Pakistan’s national anthem being played at all major political and sports gatherings emerged across Kashmir.
The videos and photographs of youngsters wearing uniform of Pakistan cricket team and flaunting it on social media also went viral.
Earlier, in April 2017, police detained local cricketers in Ganderbal area of north Kashmir for donning Pakistan uniform and playing the neighbouring country’s national anthem.
In another incident, video of two young Kashmiri artistes performing Pakistan’s national anthem on traditional instruments of Rabab and Santoor also went viral on social media.
