Santosh Trophy Selection scam: Omar Abdullah Govt uses sports to institutionalise discrimination against Jammu: Pawan Sharma

• 20 of 24 players picked from Kashmir; Sports Minister Satish Sharma’s silence equals complicity 

JAMMU: BJP Jammu & Kashmir State Secretary Pawan Sharma today accused the Omar Abdullah–led government of deliberately politicising and manipulating the selection of the J&K football team for the Santosh Trophy, thereby institutionalising regional discrimination against Jammu. He held Sports Minister Satish Sharma directly responsible for what he termed a clear-cut selection scam driven by bias and favouritism.

Sharma said the selection has exposed the anti-Jammu mindset of the present government, which continues to treat Jammu as a second-class region, even in areas like sports that must remain strictly merit-based and apolitical. Highlighting the glaring imbalance, Sharma revealed that 20 out of 24 players in the final squad have been selected from Kashmir, reducing Jammu—despite its size, population, and footballing contribution—to mere token representation.

“This is not selection, it is exclusion by design. This is not sport, it is politics imposed on young careers,” Sharma said. He asserted that the figures indict the government beyond doubt. “When 20 players are picked from one region despite Jammu’s consistent performance record, the claim of neutrality collapses. This reflects a deeply entrenched discriminatory mindset that has now entered sports administration,” he stated.

Sharma pointed out that players from Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Udhampur, Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Rajouri, and Poonch have consistently excelled in district and divisional tournaments, yet were dropped without explanation, transparency, or accountability.

Calling the process opaque and manipulated, he said several selected players reportedly lack recent competitive exposure, while Jammu-based players who performed well in official trials and camps were ignored. “When performance data is buried and explanations denied, it is calculated bias,” he said.

Launching a direct attack on Sports Minister Satish Sharma, the BJP leader said, “Either the minister knowingly allowed this injustice or lacked the courage to stop it. His silence is not neutral—it is complicit.”

Sharma warned that regional favoritism weakens team balance and embarrasses J&K nationally, and demanded an immediate, independent, and time-bound inquiry, including public disclosure of evaluation sheets, justification of regional representation, and accountability of selectors.

Urging the J&K Sports Council, Football Association, and UT Administration to intervene, Sharma said all records must be placed in the public domain.

“This is a fight for dignity, fairness, and equal opportunity. The youth of Jammu will no longer accept discrimination. BJP stands firmly with Jammu’s footballers and will pursue this issue until justice is delivered,” he concluded.