As state ballot nears, BJP holds Tiranga rally for first time in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: In a primary, BJP on Monday held a Tiranga rally at historic Ghanta Ghar in Srinagar and flagged off the first-ever “Tiranga Bikers Rally” from Srinagar to Kargil to mark the Kargil Vijay Diwas.

A large variety of BJP employees together with the feminine employees attended the Tiranga rally. Majority of the employees attending the rally had been holding the tri-colour. The get together employees chanted pro-India slogans whereas waving the tri-colour.

The holding of Tiranga rally by BJP in metropolis centre Lal Chowk holds significance because the place has been historically a bastion of separatist politics.

The Clock Tower space and its adjoining areas had been sealed many instances prior to now to foil separatist rallies and marches within the space.

The Clock Tower space has additionally witnessed many militant assaults together with the fidayeen assaults by militants. Tight safety preparations had been put in place for the BJP’s Tiranga rally.

The roads resulting in the Ghanta Ghar had been sealed and safety males in energy had been deployed within the space.

The flag-off occasion close to the historic Ghanta Ghar’ (clock tower) in Lal Chowk was held amidst unprecedented safety preparations as the entire space was sealed and safety forces, together with senior officers, had been current in massive numbers.

The safety forces used drones to keep watch over the occasion for which site visitors and public motion was diverted.

The metropolis centre was a stronghold of the separatists within the erstwhile state of J-Okay.

In the 2008 and 2010 unrest, the separatists used to name for peoples’ march to Lal Chowk, demanding freedom.

On Monday, ‘Azadi’ slogans of a special type reverberated on the metropolis centre.

The BJP leaders raised slogans of ‘Azad Hindustan Zindabad’, ‘Akhand Bharat Zindabad’, and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ amongst others.

They waived the tricolour and sang patriotic songs.

While many political events have held occasions, together with hoisting of tricolour, on the Lal Chowk earlier than as properly, that is the primary time such a rally was organised by any political get together to pay tributes to troopers who misplaced their lives within the Kargil War.

A police official mentioned about 100 bikes had been a part of the rally during which members of the BJYM from totally different elements of the nation participated.

The rally will culminate on the Kargil War Memorial on Tuesday, on the event of Vijay Divas.

Speaking on the occasion, Chug skilled weapons on the National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He mentioned the dual households of Abdullah’s and Mufti’s dominated Jammu and Kashmir for the previous 70 years “but made it a terrorism capital, while the Prime Minister has made it a tourism capital and took it on a path of progress”.

“Mehbooba lives some yards away from here. She used to say that if you revoke (Article) 370, then you will not find hands to hoist the tricolour. I want to tell her that come to Lal Chowk and see the residents of Kashmir holding the tiranga. Every person has a tiranga in his heart,” Chug mentioned, asking folks to boost the slogan of ‘Azad Hindustan’ in a loud voice in order that it reaches Muftis and Abdullahs.

Targeting Abdullahs and Muftis, Chug mentioned they used to assert that Article 370 can’t be abrogated, however Modi made it doable.

“This is a state where a new story of development is being written. The works undertaken by Modi are speaking loud. Modi gave a sense of development, security, and belief to the people of J-K.”

“The three families, Abdullah and sons, Mufti and sons, and Nehru and sons — had plundered J-K and they still want to plunder it more by forming Gupkar alliance. But, the people of J-K do not accept them now. In today’s motorcycle rally, the country’s youth are marching for making India of Modi’s dreams, a powerful India,” the BJP chief mentioned.

He mentioned Kashmir could not transfer ahead in 70 years, however the “properties of these three families increased by many folds”.

“Sometime they demand talks with Pakistan and sometimes with China, but I want to tell them that the youth of India will only talk to the youth of India. The central government and the BJP will meet and listen to the youth of Kashmir,” he mentioned.

Chug mentioned the bikers rally was organised to pay tributes to the fallen troopers of the Kargil War.

“These youth including the youth from different parts of the valley are going to Kargil where India’s sons sacrificed their life but did not budge even an inch of the country’s land,” he mentioned.

Neha Joshi, nationwide vp, BJYM, Delhi, mentioned she is proud to be part of the historic occasion.

“This yatra has been organised by the youth of Kashmir. We have come here to become a witness of this historic event and take this message to the different corners of the country,” she mentioned.

Article 370 was not solely a constitutional barrier in the way in which of Jammu and Kashmir’s full integration with India, but in addition posed as a cultural and psychological hurdle, BJP’s Tejasvi Surya mentioned right here on Monday.

Article 370, that granted the erstwhile state of J&Okay particular standing, was abrogated by the Centre in August 2019.

Surya, the president of the get together’s youth wing, was right here to flag off the first-ever Tiranga bikers rally from Lal Chowk to Kargil War Memorial.

Speaking on the historic ‘Ghanta Ghar’ (clock tower), Surya mentioned after the abrogation of Article 370, growth got here to Kashmir and the valley is now ‘finished with terror.’

“Kashmir is done with terrorism and is on the path of development. We used to hear and read every day about terrorist attacks, stone-pelting, Hurriyat-issued calendars, but today, the same Kashmir is known for its hydro-electric power projects, new expressway, IITs, AIIMS, IIMs, new central universities and new initiatives of development.”

“This is happening because Prime Minister Narendra Modi abrogated 370,” he mentioned.

The BJP chief mentioned Article 370 was a cultural and psychological barrier “which didn’t enable us to finish the constitutional imaginative and prescient of ‘Ek Bharat, Shresth Bharat’.

“When Article 370 was there, the youths of Kashmir were bereft of any opportunities. For education opportunities they were compelled to go to Delhi, Pune, Bengaluru. But a world class education is now available in Kashmir only and there is no need to go outside,” he mentioned.

“This is the transformation that Modi has brought.”

The Bengaluru South MP additionally claimed that the revocation of Article 370 empowered girls and reserved class folks within the Union Territory.

“We are at an opportune time in history where the next 25 years will determine the peaceful, prosperous future of J&K and the rest of Bharat,” he mentioned.

After the independence, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee known as for Kashmir’s full constitutional integration with India, and it was Modi who fulfilled that job, he mentioned.

“Now, it’s our accountability to take ahead this work of constitutional integration and do J&K’s full cultural, social and financial de-integration.

“This is an important civilisational task that the young of India and young of Kashmir must take,” he mentioned.

Surya mentioned tourism and terrorism can not co-exist in Kashmir.

“Kashmir saw the highest tourist footfall in its history this year only. Lakhs of youth got employment opportunities because of tourism. This has proved one thing — tourism and terrorism cannot co-exist,” he mentioned.

“The youth of Kashmir today has proved that they are against terrorism, want to end it, and avail new opportunities in tourism. This is the new path of development that young people of Kashmir have started,” he mentioned.

Surya additionally appealed to younger industrialists, entrepreneurs, traders, and visionaries from throughout the nation to put money into Kashmir.

“New industries should be started in Kashmir, new colleges, medical schools, start-ups be set up in Kashmir.”

“The youth of Kashmir are hard working, intelligent and because of the lack of opportunities, they have not progressed. The unicorns of India’s tomorrow must come from Kashmir. Leaders who can lead the country should come from Kashmir,” he mentioned.

Surya mentioned the rule of two households has come to a full cease after the abrogation of Article 370 apparently referring to Abdullahs and Muftis, members of which households dominated the state at totally different instances.

“Mehbooba Mufti or Omar Abdullah’s shops have shut. Democracy is flourishing at the panchayat level, grassroots level today in a spirited manner. I have met many young leaders. New parties are coming up here which are working on the nationalistic agenda rather than the separatist agenda,” he mentioned.

Pakistani-sponsored parts proceed to assault younger activists from BJP to destroy the democracy in Kashmir, he mentioned, as he paid tributes to the BJP employees killed by militants within the valley.

Towards the top, the BJP chief learn out just a few verses from an anti-war poem by Pandit Deenanath Kaul ‘Nadim’ which talks a couple of “new dawn” and a “better future.”

Students and academics requested to shell out Rs 20

SRINAGAR: Even because the Kashmir administration is saying that “Har Ghar Tiranga” marketing campaign is voluntary, the schooling officers in two separate circulars within the union territory have requested the scholars and academics to pay Rs 20 whereas shopkeepers in South Kashmir’s Anantnag had been warned to pay Rs 20 or face motion.

The order issued on July 16 acknowledged that in case of a couple of scholar belonging to the identical household, fees from just one scholar be collected as per directions.

“As per the directions from the Chief Education Officer Budgam, all the HOIs (heads of institutions) of this zone are asked to collect Rs 20 per head from the students and the staff members of the school to deposit the same in ZEO office within four days,” the round learn.

“In case of more than one student belonging to same family, charges from only student be collected as per instructions,” it mentioned.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief and former MLA from Chrar-e-Sharief Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura posted a duplicate of the round on social media and questioned the administration for making the contribution “compulsory”.

“Sad to see such orders being issued which contradict Div Com’s (Divisional Commissioner’s) assertion that ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ is completely a voluntary motion and there’s no compulsion & insistence in it.

Admin should notice that nationalism comes naturally & cannot be imposed via the barrel of a gun,” Hanjura tweeted.

Budgam deputy chief schooling officer Inderjeet Singh, nevertheless, mentioned the round was issued erroneously and the contribution is voluntary.

He mentioned the zonal schooling officer involved has already issued a corrigendum to the round.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti had on Sunday posted a video on Twitter during which workers of an city physique in Anantnag had been purportedly making bulletins on a public tackle system asking the shopkeepers to contribute Rs 20 every for the flag with a purpose to “avoid trouble”.

“We appeal to the shopkeepers to deposit Rs 20 with the municipal body, which issues the trade license to you, by 12.00 noon on Monday. This is under the order of district administration Anantnag for the Har Ghar Tiranga movement launched by the government. Those who do not deposit these Rs 20 might face action for it” So, to avoid wasting the difficulty, we enchantment to you to deposit the quantity,” the shopkeepers had been allegedly advised.

“The manner in which J&K admin is forcing students, shopkeepers & employees to pay for national flag to hoist it is as if Kashmir is an enemy territory that needs to be captured. Patriotism comes naturally & can’t be imposed,” Mehbooba had tweeted with the video.

Hanjura additionally questioned the administration’s determination to close down two colleges in Lal Chowk on Monday to facilitate Vijay Diwas Tiranga Yatra taken out by the BJP.

“Roads leading to Ghanta Ghar, Lal Chowk have been blocked, shops shut & a school (Tyndale Biscoe & Mallinson) in the vicinity too has been shut on a Monday just so that a political party can showcase their nationalism. The claims of ‘change’ & ‘normalcy’ post 2019 stand exposed,” he tweeted.

(With PTI Inputs)