A political storm has erupted in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly over the allotment of land to former Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan. The issue was raised during the Question Hour, with legislators questioning the government’s decision to allocate 206 kanals (approximately 25.75 acres) of land in Kathua’s Bhagthali Industrial Estate to Muralitharan’s company, Ceylon Beverages.
The land, intended for setting up a ₹1,600-crore aluminum can manufacturing and beverage filling unit, has drawn criticism from opposition leaders. CPI(M) legislator M.Y. Tarigami and Congress MLA G.A. Mir expressed concerns over the allotment, questioning how a non-Indian cricketer was granted land in the Union Territory. Tarigami emphasized the need for transparency, stating, “The law of the land should be applicable equally to all.”
Responding to the uproar, Agriculture Minister Javed Ahmad Dar assured the Assembly that the matter would be investigated. He clarified that the government had no prior information about the allotment being made “free of cost” and promised to look into the facts.
The controversy has sparked a broader debate on land allocation policies in Jammu and Kashmir, with legislators calling for stricter adherence to norms and equitable treatment for all stakeholders. The government is expected to provide further clarification in the coming days.
