REAL KASHMIR TASTE VICTORY AS FOOTBALL RETURNS TO THE VALLEY
SRINAGAR: Loud cheers rend the air in Kashmir after four months as the Valley’s sport enthusiasts found a reason to cheer as they gathered to watch an I-League (football league) home match in Srinagar on Thursday. This was the first game to be played after the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status on August 5.
Real Kashmir, a Valley-based football club, clinched its first victory of the season the league against Chennai City FC. Hundreds of people turned up at the synthetic turf of TRC ground, which is surrounded by mighty Chinar trees. “We were under restrictions for months. Connectivity was cut off and we still do not have internet. All this has been stressful. The game this gave provided us with some respite,” said Javaid Ahmad, 29, a resident of Old City.
A heavy deployment of security forces had surrounded the venue to secure the ground and prevent any protests. The first home match saw a lesser number of spectators than last season as the organisers had issued a limited number of tickets. “The officials wanted us to gather a limited crowd. We issued a few thousand tickets. When the crowd swelled we closed the gates,” said Umar Amin, media manager of Real Kashmir FC. “The match was peaceful. People enjoyed it and the crowd cheered for both sides,” he said.
The event found a surprise spectator in BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav. “I am really delighted to see the excellent performance of our Real Kashmir FC team.They have a good chance of winning the cup.
I wish them success in all subsequent matches,” he said. He said it was clear from the people’s response that the youth of Kashmir had great love for the sport and as such the government will support it. “Kashmir’s people love football and we support them and the Real Kashmir. This is the biggest reason for our presence here,” he said.