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“Army following double standards”

Services team’s decision to skip Ranji match kicks up a row

Omar Abdullah

Srinagar: The Services team’s last-minute decision to skip the Ranji Trophy match here has put a question mark over the Army’s proclaimed successes in the region, according to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. He lashed out at the Army for following “double standards” in the State. Following the outcry the team has apologised to the Board of Control for Cricket in India and sought a fresh date to play the game.

Criticising the Services team on Tuesday, Mr. Abdullah said the “Army has made tall claims about its successes in the State against the militant groups. The incident clearly shows the double standards of the Armed forces operating here.”

It was a bizarre scenario at the Sher-e-Kashmir stadium where the match had been organised after a gap of two decades and all the dignitaries including Union Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah were present but the Services team did not turn-up.

The Chief Minister said that he would take up the matter with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister P Chidambaram as the forfeiting of the match negated the Government of India’s positive assessment of the State’s security situation.

“I will be speaking to Centre on the issue. Such an act is clearly an indication that some people don’t want normality in the State. When the team of the Armed Forces refuses to play a match citing security concerns, what message will it send across?”

Earlier, Dr. Farooq Abdullah also lambasted the Services team for giving the lie to the views of the Prime Minister, the Defence Minister and the Home Minister on the security situation in the State.

“We were all waiting for the Services. We were here to welcome them. It looks very bad that of all teams, the Services decided not to come. It gives a very bad image of India,” Dr. Abdullah said.

The team was scheduled to play against the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association here from Tuesday. Its decision to skip the match prompted the BCCI to ban it from the rest of the Ranji Trophy this year. — PTI

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