Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday said there were persons still instigating people in J&K even as the Union Territory was put on the path of “everlasting peace, progress and development”.
“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, all efforts are being made to take J&K to new heights. J&K is already on the path of peace, progress and development,” Mr. Sinha said in his address at the Republic Day function at Jammu’s Maulana Azad Stadium.
He, however, cautioned against “some persons who continue to instigate people as they aren’t happy with the J&K’s development”, without naming any party or leader.
Urging the youth of J&K to join the process of development and participate in shaping their future, Mr. Sinha said: “J&K is expecting ₹18,000 crore plus investment boost in February in the real estate sector.”
The Lt. Governor said the land use change policy, which was a major impediment to the industrial development of the region, had been simplified to attract more investment. “However, the people are being misled on this issue too,” he added.
He assured the land owners and farmers that all these changes had been effected with the sole aim of empowering them. “There is a section in society which has always been misleading the people about imaginary issues like demographic change, and on this pretext the most hardworking and needy class of people had been deprived of their own land,” he added.
He also pledged to eradicate terrorism and terror ecosystem perpetuated by the neighbouring country in J&K.He said after the historic transformative changes in August 2019, J&K was poised to become the latest success story among Indian States and a model of socio-economic development for the country. “We will continue to march ahead with the mantra of 4Ps – peace, progress, prosperity and people first.”
He highlighted the co-existence of various religions enriching and diversifying J&K’s cultural heritage and pledged to “make the UT an example of immortal organic composite Indian culture”.
No curfew in Valley
Stringent security measures were in place in the Kashmir Valley to ensure peaceful conduct of functions on Republic Day. The administration snapped mobile Internet services till 3 p.m. “as part of the precautionary measures”.
The administration had decided not to impose a curfew or restrictions in any part of the Valley. There were no reports of any violence or militant attacks in Kashmir all day and most functions passed off peacefully. A spontaneous shutdown was observed in parts of the Valley and people preferred to stay indoors all day.
On the other hand, a group of activists hoisted the national flag at Lal Chowk’s historic Ghanta Ghar (clock tower). Leading the group, Sajid Yousuf Shah and Sahil Bashir, were provided the help of a crane to unfurl the flag at Lal Chowk, where the security forces used to hold a ceremony in the past 30 years.
“Hoisting the national flag atop the clock tower is what ‘Naya Kashmir’ stands for. This is what the people of J&K want. We don’t want any Pakistani flags, we want peace and development,’‘ Mr. Bashir said.
The disappearance of the flag, however, in the afternoon was questioned by former Chief Minister and National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah.
“Tricolour disappears in less than a couple of hours. It didn’t even remain there for the day. Why insult the National Flag of India just for a photo op? Is this what patriotism and nationalism has come to? Photo ops and trolling?...If you don’t know your Indian Flag Code then here is a bit of help - “As far as possible display from sunrise to sunset,” Mr. Abdullah said, in a series of tweets.
According to a J&K government spokesman, Republic Day was celebrated in 72 degree colleges, 358 higher secondary schools and715 high schools in the Kashmir division. “A total of 137 community blocks and 2,182 panchayat halqas of the Rural Development Department also celebrated the day with fervour and enthusiasm,” the spokesman said.
Around 84,990 participants took part in the functions, events and programmes of Republic Day organised by the education and rural development department in the Kashmir division, the spokesman added.
