SRINAGAR: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to intervene in the ongoing controversy surrounding the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), alleging that the association was being undermined and warning against turning cricket into a “Jammu vs Kashmir issue”.
Very disturbing developments taking place in JKCA The JKCA must remain above politics, corruption, and regional bias. Expected better under our own BCCI President, @MithunManhas, but it’s disturbing to see a democratically elected JKCA being undermined without due process, with…
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) July 16, 2026
In a post on X, Mehbooba said the JKCA “must remain above politics, corruption and regional bias” and expressed disappointment over the developments despite former Jammu and Kashmir cricketer Mithun Manhas being part of the BCCI leadership.
She alleged that the democratically elected JKCA was being undermined without due process and claimed that its president, Javid Khitab, along with several local clubs, was allegedly being targeted and removed because of their Kashmiri identity.
Appealing to the BCCI to intervene, the former Chief Minister urged the cricket body’s leadership to ensure that the sport is not used to deepen regional divisions.
“Let cricket, not identity, decide who represents India,” Mehbooba said while tagging BCCI Secretary Jay Shah and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in her post.
Her remarks come amid an ongoing controversy within the JKCA over disputes relating to club representation and the functioning of the association.
