J&K Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday demanded immediate scrapping of the existing SO-12 list and preparation of a fresh, transparent, merit-based list through an impartial process.
The party also demanded a high-level independent inquiry into the irregularities, fixing responsibility on every official and individual involved in manipulating the selection process and the resignation of the J&K Sports minister, for what it alleged, “betraying sportspersons” of the Union Territory.
“Betraying J&K’s sportspersons, the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference government, has led to the complete collapse of the Sports Ministry and Sports Department,” J&K BJP spokesperson Parimoksh Seth stated while addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, Trikuta Nagar, Jammu.
J&K BJP media in-charge Dr Pardeep Mahotra and SC Morcha president Dharminder Kumar accompanied Seth in the presser.
“BJP demands strict legal action against the guilty. Government must disclose the complete selection criteria, marks, evaluation records and reasons for exclusion of deserving candidates,” Seth said.
Questioning the fairness of the selection process, Seth asked how four out of five gazetted appointments were made from a single sporting discipline and how 72 beneficiaries belonged to one assembly constituency, alleging that these glaring irregularities pointed towards favouritism and a well-planned conspiracy to deny deserving sportspersons their rightful opportunities.
Addressing the media, Seth alleged that under CM Omar Abdullah’s government, every department was in shambles, with the Sports Department becoming a glaring example of mismanagement, favouritism and administrative failure. He alleged that sportspersons across Jammu and Kashmir completely lost faith in the Sports Ministry, as the Sports Minister failed to discharge his responsibilities and virtually disappeared from public accountability.
“The Sports Minister has lost control over his department and has failed to safeguard the interests of genuine athletes. Having lost the confidence of the sporting fraternity, he has no moral right to continue in office and must immediately resign,” Seth said.
He pointed out serious fraud and manipulation in the recently issued list of outstanding sports persons under SO-12, claiming that deserving athletes who won medals in the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Paralympics and other recognised international events were deliberately ignored.
Instead, preference was allegedly given to individuals from sporting disciplines that were not recognised in these premier international competitions.
He also questioned the Omar Abdullah government over the non-release of salary and other legitimate service benefits to an international-level woman player and coach, terming it another example of the government’s anti-sportsperson approach.
Holding the Chief Minister accountable for the prevailing situation, J&K BJP spokesperson said the government owed answers to the youth and sporting community of Jammu & Kashmir.
Seth said the BJP was standing firmly with every genuine sportsperson of Jammu and Kashmir and would continue its fight until justice was delivered, the guilty were punished and the dignity of deserving athletes was restored.
