India Unmoved by Neighbors’ Choices, Sports Must Transcend Politics: Dy CM Surinder Choudhary

Jammu, Feb 2: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary asserted Monday that India stays laser-focused on its growth, unbothered by unilateral moves from neighbors like Pakistan’s reported reluctance to face India in the upcoming World Cup.
On the Budget Session sidelines, Choudhary told JKNS such decisions mean nothing to a powerhouse like India. “If it’s their choice, it doesn’t affect us. India is large and strong,” he said, urging sports stay politics-free. “When politics enters sports, it harms the game’s spirit.”
Choudhary then jabbed the BJP over its unkept promise to restore J&K statehood post-elections. “The Leader of Opposition must clarify when this commitment will be honored,” he demanded.
He also lamented the end of the Darbar Move—which boosted Jammu’s economy by alternating government seats between Jammu and Srinagar—halted under BJP rule. “Today’s bustling Jammu markets trace back to the Darbar Move started in Omar Abdullah’s tenure,” Choudhary claimed.
Flagging academic woes, he grilled the BJP on unfilled posts, regional bias, and zero Jammu province vice-chancellors leading universities. “This is serious,” he said, while decrying outsider hires over local jobs. “I don’t belong to Jammu or Kashmir alone—I’m an Indian,” he concluded.