Jammu & Kashmir
BJP plans ‘mega celebrations’ to mark first anniversary of Article 370 abrogation in JK
Srinagar: Bhartiya Janta Party’s Jammu and Kashmir unit has decided to mark the first anniversary of revocation of Article 370 with mega celebrations from August 5 for 15 days and the day first will witness the unfurling of tricolour in all zonal, tehsils and district headquarters.
The party leadership believes that the historic decision taken last year has helped restore peace in the region but COVID has played a spoilsport as far as the development of the erstwhile is concerned.
In an interview with a local news agency Kashmir News Observer, BJP’s General Secretary Ashok Koul said that a 15-day long program has been chalked out to celebrate one year of last year’s August 5 decision—scrapping the Article 370 and slicing the erstwhile J&K State into two Union Territories—J&K and Ladakh.
“As far as the restoration of peace in the J&K is concerned, figures are before everybody and the situation is quite clear. Kashmir is peaceful today and credit goes to last year’s historic decision,” the report quoted Koul as saying.
Koul added that COVID, on the other hand, has played a spoilsport as it interrupts the administration in developmental front.
He said this year armed forces have been able to kill a record number of militants this year and protests at the encounter sites have vanished.
“Today, we see no clashes at the encounter sites as youth have realised the futility of protests,” he said.
Asked about the 15-day-long program commencing from August 5, Koul said day one will start with the unfurling of Tri-colour in all district, zonal, and tehsil headquarters in J&K.
“Municipal wards and head offices will also witness the hoisting of tri-colour on August 5 and there is a lot of program on cards.
He said that BJP has kept a day to remember all police “martyrs” and all political workers killed so far in the past three decades including those killed recently.
He said as a BJP leader, he is quite satisfied with the outcome of last year’s August 5 announcement.
In this regard, BJP’s JK spokesman Altaf Thakur said that the party has decided to celebrate the J&K’s complete integration with the Union of India.
“Central ministers will address virtual rallies. They will also visit various districts of J&K and meet Refugees, Safai Karam Charis,” Thakur said.
(With inputs from agencies)
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