Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has slammed people for bringing in religion to everything and for questioning the motive for government, amid the ongoing situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Pathan, along with 100 other cricketers, were asked to leave the state at the earliest.
Also, the Amarnath yatra was cancelled which has prompted a slew of speculations over the next move of the Narendra Modi government. Irfan tweeted: "The fact that #AmarnathYatris have been asked to go back and stopped the #Yatra means it is under threat. That's why security measures are taken. Apni gandi soch Badlo. Har baat mein religion mat daalo. Har baat mein saboot mat maango."
Security threats were cited
Authorities stepped up security in tensed Jammu and Kashmir on Monday as the movement of several senior leaders of the state, which included former chief ministers, including Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah, was restricted and even mobile internet services were restricted as developments gained steam on Sunday.
This move by the union government came after massive security build-up and an advisory asking tourists and pilgrims to leave the state. The reason was security threats from terrorists which had the backing of the Pakistan army.
"Yes, the JKCA has advised Pathan and other support staff to leave J&K. They will fly out of the Valley on Sunday. Selectors, who are not from the region, have also been asked to leave for their respective places," JKCA chief executive officer (CEO) Syed Ashiq Hussain Bukhari told the New Indian Express.
"We've already sent 101-102 Jammu players, who were camping at Sher-i-Kashmir stadium, back. The situation is tense and even we are not sure what's going to happen, so we postponed cricketing activities and decided to wait for the right time to restart it," Bukhari added.
Reacting to the developments, Irfan tweeted: Both, my mind & heart are still back in Kashmir with Indian army & Indian Kashmiri brothers and sisters.
The movements gained prominence when Abdullah and Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti, along with other politicians, had attended an all-party meeting in order to get an audience with President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the ongoing uneasy security situation in the state. They were placed house arrest immediately after this.
