A massive ‘Tiranga Yatra’ was organised by the administration of Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha in Srinagar on Sunday. He described it as a reply to those who said no one would unfurl the flag after the reading down of Article 370 in 2019, an indirect reference to speeches of former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.
“Let us walk together, let our hearts beat together, this is the resolve of ‘Tiranga Yatra’ that binds every section of society in one emotion. From Pulwama to Poonch, from Kulgam to Kathua, from Jammu to Srinagar, all houses in 20 districts are celebrating and hoisting of Tricolor,” the Lt. Governor said.
The L-G administered the Prime Minister’s ‘Panch Pran’ pledge to the public representatives, officials and citizens who attended the function at SKICC.
All government departments in Kashmir had issued special instructions to its staff to be part of official functions and display the Tricolour on the occasion of the Independence Day. Officials are directed to use the flag as a display picture on their social media accounts. Teachers have been directed to sing the national anthem on camera and share the videos on official websites.
In a directive issued to 11 higher secondary schools in Srinagar, the Directorate of School Education Kashmir asked principals to attend a function at the Shere-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) on Sunday “by or before 6 a.m. along with whole staff positively.” “All should carry the national flag with them,” it reads.
Hundreds of employees and locals on Sunday attended the yatra from SKICC to Botanical Garden in Srinagar. Such rallies were also held at district level in other parts of the Kashmir valley too.
“Tiranga is in every hand today. This is what every Kashmiri yearned for. The huge participation is a big reply to those who once claimed that none in the Valley would pick up the Tricolour,” Mr. Sinha said.
He was referring to Ms. Mufti’s speech made in 2019 where she warned against abrogation of Article 370 and stated that no one would raise the flag if the special status was ended.
Meanwhile, Ms. Mufti on Sunday shared two pictures on X (formerly Twitter), with a caption that reads: “Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru with the tiranga standing tall amongst a sea of enthusiastic Kashmiris at Lal chowk Srinagar circa 1949. LG administration carrying the same national flag surrounded by a posse of security personnel in 2023.”
Kashmir is back to normalcy: J&K Chief Justice
Justice N. Kotiswar Singh, Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, participated in a rally near Srinagar’s iconic clock tower in Lal Chowk and termed the response of people to these rallies as “Kashmir returning to normalcy”.
“Tourist footfall has increased and has been the highest since decades, which shows that people want to come and see this place. Kashmir cannot be seen anymore as a troubled place and that more stability and development will come to this place,” Justice Singh said.
Overall situation peaceful: DGP Dilbag Singh
Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh, who also spoke at a Srinagar rally, said that massive participation of locals in the ‘Tiranga Yatra’ was a welcome development.
“Overall situation is very peaceful on all fronts in Kashmir. Efforts are still on from across [the border] to misguide the youth through social media. The number of terrorists is miniscule. This year successful operations were conducted on the LoC in which a large number of infiltrators were killed,” Mr. Singh said.
