“The schools which used to remain shut on the eve of Independence Day are now kept open on this day only for giving both the teachers and as well as the students an opportunity to participate in Independence day Celebrations.”
Unlike past greater enthusiasm among the people shows a marked shift in the Independence day celebrations in Jammu & Kashmir and more so in Kashmir Valley. With Divisional Commissioner Kashmir extending an open invitation to people for their participation at Independence day parades across Kashmir for the third consecutive year this year the Independence day has been changed into a day of people’s celebrations across Kashmir. While security restrictions and shutdowns marked the Independence day in yesteryears under the reigns of erstwhile popular governments, the participation of Public representatives of Panchayat bodies, teachers, school children, and the employees of the Government departments in the impendence day celebrations has changed Independence day into a mega public festival in Kashmir like other parts of the country. Undoubtedly after three decades the participation of the public representatives, teachers, students and government employees in the independence day celebrations shows a perceptible change on ground in Jammu & Kashmir particularly Kashmir Valley. With the completion of five year terms of panchayat and municipal bodies the involvement of people in the developmental works at the grass root levels in villages and towns has reduced alienation of the people with the government so much so that shutdowns, and blockades of mobile and internet services for 3-4 hours on the eve of Independence day is a history of the past now. Now is the time when the Divisional Kashmir takes a pleasure in announcing no mobile and internet gags till afternoon hours on the eve of Independence day celebrations. The schools which used to remain shut on the eve of Independence Day are now kept open on Independence day only for giving both the teachers and as well as the students an opportunity to participate in Independence day Celebrations. Deputy Commissioners hoisting national flags at the Independence day parades at district headquarters is now a history of the past as now elected heads of district development councils (DDCs) much popularly called Chairpersons of DDCs hoist national flags at Independence day parades at district headquarters and similarly Chairpersons of Block Development councils (BDCs) hoist national flags at Independency day parades at block headquarters across Jammu & Kashmir.
“With the increasing participation of people in Independence day celebrations across Jammu & Kashmir the Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and his administration has undone the precedence of the past in organising and arranging Independence day celebrations and set a new precedence across Jammu & Kashmir”.
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha flagging off a tiranga (tricolour) rally in Srinagar the Summer Capital and Deputy Commissioners doing so at the district headquarters is a new precedence which leaders of not even a single popular government set during three decades of the turbulent phase of violence in Jammu & Kashmir. With the increasing participation of people in Independence day celebrations across Jammu & Kashmir the Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and his administration has undone the precedence of the past in organising and arranging Independence day celebrations and set a new precedence across Jammu & Kashmir.
