The Omar Abdullah government faced criticism after a government department in Doda assigned officials to conduct a sporting event organised by the RSS-linked Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on January 27 and 28.
On Friday, the government faced a similar face loss over a directive of its education department asking students in Jammu’s Poonch district to participate in a Tiranga rally organised by the ABVP on Thursday.
Doda is a district in the Jammu region. Both Doda and Poonch have a Muslim majority, and the ABVP is working hard to expand its outreach.
Several student bodies on Saturday shared an order by the Doda district youth services and sports officer, which said the ABVP would conduct kabaddi and wrestling championships at the indoor stadium in Doda from January 27 to January 28.
According to the order, four officials — Parmod Singh, Anil Singh, Shivam Rukwal and Kameshwar Chandail — have been deputed for
the “smooth conduct of the event”.
Jammu and Kashmir Students Association convenor Nasir Khuehami said he has confirmed the authenticity of the order with Doda district sports officer Sunil Kumar.
“It is deeply concerning that RSS-BJP-affiliated wings and offshoots are using innocent schoolchildren and government employees for such events. This raises serious questions about the misuse of authority and reflects a troubling disregard for institutional impartiality,” Khuehami wrote on X.
"Education and government institutions must remain neutral and should never be exploited to promote any particular political agenda. Such actions set a dangerous precedent and erode the integrity of public institutions," he added.
Gujjar Bakarwal Students Alliance asked why the administration was "being politicised in this manner?"
"This misuse of power demands a thorough investigation,” the group said.
Peoples Democratic Party leader Iltija Mufti said “an anti-Muslim bigoted student body” was being allowed to hold a kabaddi tournament at a government facility, accusing the National Conference government of facilitating such events.
