Srinagar- For the second straight year, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is all set to celebrate its Foundation Day on Thursday.
The day is being celebrated on October 31. The government had organized a series of functions and events as well as the competitions to celebrate the day last year.
This year also, the UT Foundation Day is being celebrated across J&K for which the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on last Sunday chaired a meeting to review the preparations for observance of J&K UT foundation day among other events at Raj Bhawan in Srinagar.
The main function will be held at SKICC where LG Sinha will be the chief guest.
NC, Congress To Stay Away
Meanwhile J&K’s ruling National Conference (NC) and Congress alliance on Wednesday said they would stay away from the Union Territory’s foundation day celebrations on October 31 as it does not accept the status and wants restoration of statehood at the earliest.
“No one from the party will attend the UT foundation day function as we don’t accept the status,” NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq told reporters here, adding that NC believes the decision taken on August 5, 2019, to bifurcate the erstwhile state into two UTs — J&K and Ladakh — was “illegal, unconstitutional and immoral”.
“We want the restoration of statehood to J&K as soon as possible so that we can enjoy our status just like the other states,” Sadiq said.
The NC spokesperson also said the government will restore the “Durbar move” — a bi-annual practice of shifting the seat of power between Jammu and Srinagar during winters and summers, respectively.
“Durbar move is a legacy of J&K. We mentioned in our election manifesto that we will restore it. The move is directly linked to statehood and that is why we want its restoration. Once statehood is restored, the Darbar move will also be reinstated,” Sadiq said.
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) President, Tariq Hameed Karra also said that they will not attend to celebrate the occasion since the party has never recognized J&K as the Union Territory.
“How can we go and celebrate something, which has been arbitrarily, unconstitutionally and democratically thrust upon us. If they are glorifying it, but we cannot be a part of the glorification of injustice meted to us,” he said.
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