Wasim Jaffer ‘Communal Bias’ Controversy: Uttarakhand CM Orders An Inquiry In The Matter

The decision was taken by the CM Trivendra Singh Rawat after some CAU member met him at his official residence in Dehradun over the weekend.

Wasim Jaffer resigned as coach of Uttarakhand team citing “interference and bias of selectors and CAU office-bearers” and “promoting non-deserving players.” The Cricket Association of Uttarakhand (CAU) team manager, Navneet Mishra alleged that coach Wasim Jaffer was making religion-based selections and brought ‘maulavis’ to the dressing room thus breaching the rules of the bio-bubble.

Amid this controversy, some CAU officials met the Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat to discuss this matter. After the meeting the CM has ordered a probe in the matter. A media coordinator for CM said: “On Saturday evening, CM had met a few officials of CAU at his residence who apprised him of the matter. After listening to them, he ordered an inquiry in the whole matter. Once the inquiry report comes, he would take the required action.”

He did not give any more details about the issue nor any information about who would be part of this inquiry.

CAU secretary Mahim Verma had said, “Jaffer had been promoting players from a particular community and brought a Muslim cleric among the players for Friday prayers.” But these allegations were rubbished by Jaffer in an explaination he gave on Twitter.

Here is Jaffer's explaination:

He had said that he recommended Jay Bista against Iqbal Abdullah for the team’s captaincy and also that he resigned due to ‘bias’ of selectors that led to the selection of “non-deserving players”. But regarding the allegations of inviting a maulvi in the dressing room, Jaffer said that it was Uttarakhand bowler Iqbal Abdullah’s idea to do so. Iqbal also agreed with Jaffer and said that he had taken the permission from the team manager beforehand.

Rahul Gandhi had hinted at this matter in his tweet where he wrote: “In the last few years, hate has been normalised so much that even our beloved sport cricket has been marred by it. India belongs to all of us. Do not let them dismantle our unity.”

Ex-cricketers, Anil Kumble and Irfan Pathan spoke on this matter and showed their solidarity with Wasim Jaffer.