Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah criticised the BCCI and the Indian government for directing KKR to drop Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman, saying sports should not be communalised or politicised, while also questioning BJP’s stance on Ladakh and separate Jammu statehood.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has launched a strong attack on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Central Government after the board reportedly directed Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to remove Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad. Abdullah questioned the rationale behind the move, saying that punishing a player for political tensions was unfair and counterproductive.
“Fight with the Bangladeshi government, not the cricketer,” Abdullah said, urging the Government of India to show maturity instead of targeting an athlete. He also questioned how such a move would help improve the Bangladesh situation. “What is the player’s fault? By removing him, you think the situation in Bangladesh will improve?” he asked.
Abdullah further emphasised India’s long-standing friendly ties with Bangladesh. “What harm did the people of Bangladesh do to us? Our relations were good. Bangladesh never spread terrorism in our country,” he stated, highlighting that decisions like these risk damaging people-to-people goodwill.
The former J&K Chief Minister also accused the BJP of communalising sports, recalling past controversies. He noted how objections were once raised when the Jammu and Kashmir Santosh Trophy football team had a higher number of Muslim players, yet no concern is expressed when fewer Muslims are seen in cricket teams. “We watch sports as a game, but they see religion in everything, even sports,” he alleged.
Speaking on political developments, Abdullah hit out at senior BJP leader Sham Lal Sharma’s demand for separate Jammu statehood, calling it a diversionary tactic. He claimed the BJP’s decision to convert Ladakh into a Union Territory had backfired. “By making Ladakh a UT, they ruined its prospects. Their politics has failed, and now they are left with nothing but divisive agendas,” he said.
Abdullah also reacted sharply to the Sangharsh Samiti’s protest against increased seats for Muslim students in Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College. He said hardworking students should not be victimised because of politics. “These students earned admission on merit. They don’t owe anyone. If politics is going to overshadow academics here, the Ministry of Health should shift them to another medical college. Better to shut this college than destroy their futures,” he asserted.
With his remarks, Omar Abdullah has reignited debates on the intersection of politics with sports, education, and regional governance, questioning whether national decisions are being driven by policy or political gains.