Two cricket teams have been booked by the police after they decided to play and stand for the Pakistani national anthem ahead of a cricket match. Apart from booking the teams, four cricketers have also been arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police, in connection with the incident.
This incident has been reported from the Bandipora district in North Kashmir. The cricket match in connection, was the final of a local tournament between MCC, Gondipora and Dardpora Cricket Club, which supposedly took place on 3rd January.
The action comes after a video of the proceedings went viral on social media. In this video, the teams are seen standing upright, while wearing green and white jerseys respectively as “Pakistan sarzameen” played in the background.
Apart from arresting these four cricketers, an enquiry has been initiated to identify the organisers and other cricketers. The police have also supposedly got in touch with the village elders, asking them to stop these youngsters from participating in such activities, in the future.
In April 2017, a similar incident had come to light from central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, where players from one team were wearing Pakistani jerseys, and were standing with their hands on their heart, while the Pakistani national anthem played.
It was also noted that fireworks had erupted in Kashmir, areas adjoining the Aligarh Muslim University after India lost the Champions Trophy to Pakistan in June, 2017. Some youths in Srinagar, apart from bursting crackers, also flurried Pakistani flags and even chanted anti-India slogans. They even threw stones at various security posts after which the authorities had to use tear gas to disperse them.
Pakistani accessories like cricket jerseys, have also been seen in different parts of the country, during other controversial circumstances.
We had reported how Pakistan Zindabad slogans were chanted during Muharram processions in UP and Bihar. During the procession in Bihar, some youths were seen wearing t-shirts similar to Pakistan’s cricket team jersey.
