JAMMU: The alleged ‘Kashmir centric’ approach of the Jammu and Kashmir Football Association (JKFA), an organisation otherwise meant for protecting the interests of world’s most popular game in the whole State, has forced individuals to rise on the occasion highlighting their plight and fight for safeguarding the interests of football in Jammu.
Finding the only government owned independent football ground in heart of the city dying a slow death, a veteran football player of the city has taken up the issue of reviving the field with authorities concerned.
Otherwise, lying unattended in the hands of its custodians, the J and K State Sports Council, the football ground at Mini Stadium Parade is witness to historical matches and jam-pack crowds.
The ground has produced as many as 20 international football players for the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
“It gives us pain to see the most popular football field of Jammu dying a slow death.
I have played on this ground altogether for 25 years. And, finding little courage at the hands of JKFA Jammu Wing, I decided to take up the issue to its logical conclusion,” said Rakesh Khanna.
Since, the JKFA showed little interest in taking up the issue of deteriorating Jammu football fields, it was MLA East, Rajesh Gupta, who built up pressure on the executing agency, State Sports Council to make the ground worth practice.
“I’m a small man to convince the organisation (Sports Council).
It was MLA East, who is keen to promote sports in the city, made the Secretary, State Sports Council, Jawaid Shah to act. Now, with the pressure mounted by the young legislator, the actual work on clearance of excessive sand has begun,” informed Khanna, who is a senior football player of Parade Ground.
The MLA East has visited the ground at least on five occasions for the sole purpose of reviving it
for football. “For the keenness of the MLA to hold some crowd pulling event in the old city, we have planned to hold a national level football tournament at Parade once the ground is back to its original shape and size,” he maintained.