Jammu and Kashmir’s maiden entry into the Ranji Trophy final on Wednesday prompted the two regions to briefly set aside their differences and come together in celebration.
The Jammu and Kashmir cricket team cruised into the final by defeating Bengal, ending a 67-year wait since the state-turned-Union Territory began competing in the tournament.
The accomplishment comes at a time when widening regional and communal fault lines over a range of issues, including sports, have pitted Jammu’s Dogra heartland against its two Muslim-majority regions — Pir Panjal and Chenab Valley — and Kashmir.
BJP legislators representing large swathes of Jammu, who had been sparring for days with MLAs from the ruling National Conference and other parties, put up a brief show of unity in the Assembly by joining the rest of the Union Territory in celebrating the victory.
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather and the MLAs congratulated the Jammu and Kashmir team for reaching the finals. Rather said the victory had filled the region with pride and inspired aspiring cricketers to pursue excellence in sport. Rather hoped the team would sustain its momentum in the final.
Chief minister Omar Abdullah credited the team’s success to the hard work of the players and supporting staff.
“It is not a victory of an individual but of the entire team, as well as staff support. I, on my behalf and on behalf of all residents of Jammu and Kashmir, congratulate them and hope the day is not far when players from Jammu and Kashmir will play an important role in our country’s cricket team,” he said.
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti also heaped praise on the cricketers.
“Heartfelt congratulations to the J&K Cricket Team on their magnificent victory in the Ranji Trophy semi-final. History created! With grit, courage, and unbreakable belief, you’ve written a golden chapter in J&K’s sporting journey. May AllahTallah bless you with even greater success ahead,” Mehbooba posted on X.
The leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, the BJP’s Sunil Sharma, said the team’s win was a matter of great pride for all residents.
As congratulatory messages poured in, some statements laced with regional and communal overtones struck a jarring note. Several others attempted to hog credit for the team’s success.
Sharma underscored the role of BCCI chief and former Jammu cricketer Mithun Manhas in the team’s success.
Former Srinagar mayor Junaid Azim Mattu specially mentioned Valley cricketer Auqib Nabi. “What a momentous occasion for the J&K Team! From underdogs to finalists! That’s how it’s done! Let’s get that Trophy!” he wrote on X.
“Undoubtedly the number one pacer in India today — our own Auqib Nabi!” he added.
NC legislator Tanviq Sadiq credited his party for the success, linking it to the “good beginning” made by his party after taking over the reins of the government.
The Dogras of Jammu, the region’s largest linguistic group, have in recent weeks launched a concerted campaign seeking a National Law University in their backyard after Omar said it would beset up in Kashmir.
The campaign followed a controversial decision by the National Medical Commission to withdraw permission, over alleged deficiencies, to the newly set up Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Excellence Medical College to operate an MBBS course with its maiden batch of 50 students.
Many here believe this was done at the behest of the BJP and its Right-wing ecosystem, angry that 42 of the 50 students who had qualified through the national-level NEET were Muslims.
Earlier, protests had erupted against the predominance of Kashmiri Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir’s Santosh Trophy and Under-16 cricket teams.