Jammu, Mar 8: The Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed a heated debate on Saturday as several legislators questioned the reported allotment of land in the Union Territory to a Sri Lankan cricketer.
The issue was raised during the Question Hour, drawing sharp reactions from opposition members who demanded transparency in the matter.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami was the first to raise the issue, expressing concern over how a foreign national was allotted land in J&K. “A Sri Lankan cricketer has been given land in Kathua. How was this allotment processed, and under what provisions?” Tarigami asked. However, he refrained from naming the cricketer in question.
Joining the debate, Congress MLA Ghulam Ahmad Mir also sought clarification from the government, terming the matter “serious” and calling for an immediate probe. “How can a non-Indian cricketer be allotted land in Jammu & Kashmir? This needs to be looked into as a priority,” he asserted.
In response to the concerns raised by the legislators, Minister for Agriculture Production Department Javaid Ahmad Dar acknowledged the issue but shifted responsibility to the Revenue Department. “This matter falls under the jurisdiction of the Revenue Department. It needs to be examined thoroughly to ascertain the facts,” he said. [KNT]
