On Wednesday, the state of Jammu and Kashmir celebrated the 73rd Republic Day with the greatest pride as the youth activists who are local Kashmiri Muslims, hoisted the Indian tricolour at the Clock Tower of Lal Chowk in Srinagar. The children in Kashmir also unfurled 30 metres long Indian national flag at the Gupkar Road and walked with it all around the city.
Epic trolling of Abdullahs and Muftis by local Kashmiri children. 30 metres long tricolour 🇮🇳 being unfurled by children at the Gupkar Road this afternoon on the occasion of #RepublicDayIndia pic.twitter.com/aCNEU94tfi
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) January 26, 2022
The residences of the Abdullah family and Mufti family are located on the Gupkar Road in Srinagar, and youths in the city unfurled a 30-meter-long Indian national flag on this road and carried it along the road in front of the said residences. This as done on the initiative of local members of the ABVP.
The flag at Lal Chowk was hoisted by Advocate Sajid Yousuf Shah and Socio-Political activist Sahil Bashir Bhat backed by regular security arrangements and assistance. The local Kashmiri people were seen enjoying Republic day today which has also marked the end of Pakistan sponsored separatism in the state.
Journalist Aditya Raj Kaul shared beautiful pictures of tricolor being hoisted at Clock Tower at Lal Chowk of Srinagar today and said that the local Kashmiri Muslims had taken a bold and courageous step. “Love for mother India. Tricolour comes up for the first time at Lalchowk on India’s 73rd Republic Day today”, he tweeted.
Love for mother India🇮🇳. Tricolour comes up for the first time over the Ghantaghar at Lalchowk of Srinagar, Kashmir on India’s 73rd Republic Day today. Marking the end of Pakistan sponsored separatism. Courageous and bold step by local Kashmiri Muslim youth. Pak apologists watch! pic.twitter.com/qKrdHzjF86
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) January 26, 2022
In a series of tweets, he further recalled the time not very long ago when the Jammu and Kashmir Police used to arrest anyone who tried to unfurl the Indian tricolour at Lal Chowk under the political direction of some local communal politicians. He added that the day in Srinagar was just normal like in any other city of India and Kashmiris was enjoying their national holiday.
How times change. There was a time not very long ago that J&K Police used to arrest anyone who tried to unfurl Indian tricolour at Lalchowk under political direction of some local communal politicians. Today look at the fanfare and celebrations with tricolour at Lalchowk. 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/C2apWLnTIm
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) January 26, 2022
In the meanwhile, the patriotic events today in Kashmir were a big blow to the state PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti who had said that nobody would hold tricolour in Kashmir. Back in 2020, Mufti had demanded the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s flag and Article 370 and had said that no one in Kashmir would raise the national flag until Kashmir’s own flag was returned.
She had called the Central Government ‘robbers’ who according to her had stolen constitutionally-guaranteed rights of Kashmiris by revoking the special status of the state and challenging Article 35A of the Constitution. It may be noted that political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir, including Mufti, Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar, were detained for months as part of measures taken by the Centre to prevent a backlash against announcing its decision to withdraw special status under article 370 and bifurcate the former state into two union territories.
Though time has changed for local Kashmiris today, it seems it hasn’t for PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti who settled on utter silence on the occasion of 73rd Republic Day. Omar Abdullah meanwhile tweeted the Constitution of India Preamble and said that words like Secular, Democratic, Justice, Liberty, Equality, Fraternity included in it were not just for 26th January but for all time.
Words for our Republic to live by – Secular, Democratic, Justice, Liberty, Equality, Fraternity. These words aren’t just for 26th Jan but for all time. #RepublicDay Have a happy one. pic.twitter.com/AktPoJ3MBZ
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) January 26, 2022
It is worth noting that on the eve of Republic Day, all the special sights of Jammu and Kashmir were illuminated in the tricolours. Clock tower at Lal Chowk, Salal Dam in Reasi district, Jammu Tawi Railway Station were all illuminated in tricolor on the eve of 73rd Republic Day.
