Show of strength by Farooq at rival JKCA meet

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 24: The rival Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah today claimed that 35 of the 64 members of the association attended a meeting of cricket body here today.
While addressing a press conference after the meeting, Abdullah said: “We had a meeting of the Working Committee today which was attended by 35 members of the Association. What they (rebel) have, are the Government nominated members.”
Forty four members of the Association had an election on Monday to elect senior PDP leader and State Sports Minister Imran Raza Ansari as its president. But Abdullah faction of the JKCA approached a local court in Jammu to get the elections stayed.
Asked about the stand of the BCCI on the JKCA crisis, Abdullah said it is for the cricket’s national governing body to decide. “Look I am not BCCI. So I can’t answer. Better you should ask them,” he said.
The former Chief Minister said that a committee will be formed that will meet the BCCI officials and apprise them about the situation. “Once they meet the BCCI, they will inform you about it,” he said. “We will form few other committees which will examine various issues related to the recent developments including the legal fight against the rebels”, he added.
Abdullah said that they will issue notices to the JKCA members for violating the constitution. “A notice will be sent to those members who have violated the
constitution (of JKCA) and they will face the music,” he said.
The NC leader reiterated his charge that the election on July 20 was organised by the State Government saying the Education Minister Naeem Akhtar “himself rang the Vice chancellors and principals to send their people (representatives) to the meeting”.
Abdullah said Jammu and Kashmir Bank will have to answer for allowing the rebel faction to operate an account in the name of the association.
The National Conference president said he will fight his political arch rival and Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed legally. “He (Mufti) should know I will fight him and fight him legally. I am not a ‘goonda’ (hooligan). ‘Unki tarah main badmaash nahi hoon’,” he added.
Referring to the election conducted by the rebel faction of the JKCA, former Chief Minister said: “The young generation is going on to a path of destruction and Mufti sahib’s Government is not thinking about how to save the situation from going back to the 1990’s. Youth is now educated and wanting to take the gun.”
Abdullah said the young generation in Kashmir is on path of destruction and everyone, except the Mufti Mohammad Sayeed led State Government, is concerned about it. “Everybody is concerned about it. Recently, the NSA had also come to review this (situation). Instead of countering these things, they (the State Government) are busy with (affairs of) cricket association,” he said.
The NC leader while answering political questions said that the borders between India and Pakistan can never be changed. He, however, said nation needs to address the root cause of anger and frustration among the youth of Kashmir.
“They (militants) are attacking towers. What is attacking a tower going to do? Do you think that will change anything. I am absolutely clear the border will never change, whatever you may do. The border is not going to change,” he said.
The former Chief Minister, however, invoked former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to advocate friendly relations with Pakistan.”What must be done is friendship between the two countries. It is essential for survival of Kashmir and when I say Kashmir, it means Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. “I remember Vajpayee Ji’s words that friends can be changed but neighbours cannot be. Either we can have friendly relations with the neighbours or destruction is around the corner. They (Pakistan) should also understand this that the Muslim across the world today are facing destruction. Who is responsible for it?” he said.
About hoisting of ISIS and Pakistani flags during protests in Kashmir, Abdullah termed it as an expression of “anger” and “frustration” which need to be addressed.
“It is actually the frustration and anger in the youth. Nothing is being done for them. They can’t show their anger by any other method except by putting these flags up,” he said.
“They (youth) want to wake up the nation that ‘think of us’. None of us has bothered about them. That is the tragedy of it. You have to look at the what is pinching them. You have to take measures which are essential to get these boys back into the national mainstream,” the NC leader said.

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