Srinagar- The Kashmir unit of BJP took out a ‘Tiranga’ rally here to celebrate Accession Day on Monday, with the party saying the participation of people in it was a “tight slap” on those making seditious statements in the valley.
The Jammu and Kashmir government observed a public holiday on account of Accession Day, that marks the anniversary of signing of the Instrument of Accession by the then princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, with Union of India on October 26, 1947.
“Scores of BJP leaders and workers assembled at the Tagore Hall here where a function was organised to celebrate the occasion. It commenced with garlanding the pictures of Maharaja Hari Singh, Bharat Mata and Maqbool Sherwani, who delayed the invasion of Pakistan-backed tribesmen in Baramulla,” a party spokesperson said.
He said it was followed by a ‘Tiranga’ rally, led by BJP general secretary and in-charge for Kashmir Vibodh Gupta, which began at the Tagore Hall and concluded at SKICC on the banks of the Dal Lake.
Dozens of vehicles, with the tricolor hoisted on each of them, were part of the rally which passed through Gupkar Road and the activists raised slogans outside the residences of National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti there.
In a faux pas during Monday’s rally, the Kashmir unit of BJP hoisted the national flag on a vehicle upside down.
With the green at the top and saffron at the bottom, the inverted national flag was attached to the bonnet of a black SUV in which BJP’s Altaf Thakur was travelling during the Tiranga rally from Tagore Hall to SKICC on the banks of Dal Lake.
The mistake was widely circulated via videos on social media here.
While the anniversary of signing of the Instrument of Accession had remained insignificant in Jammu and Kashmir in the initial years after independence, the BJP and the National Panther’s Party started celebrating the occasion as Accession Day over the past two decades.
After the abrogation of Article 370 and downgrading of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories in August last year, the administration officially notified October 26 as a public holiday.
All the offices, schools and educational institutions in the Union territory remained closed on account of the holiday.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
