Srinagar: With massive security in place, the BJP held its first-ever Tiranga rally at Lal Chowk in the heart of Srinagar, hugely symbolic in an area that has historically seen tension over the hoisting of the national flag.
Lal Chowk was completely sealed off as BJP leaders flagged the motorcycle rally from Lal Chowk to the Kargil war memorial. Even a reputed missionary school at Lal Chowk was closed for the day and thousands of students could not attend their classes.
Tejesvi Surya, MP and National President BJP Yuva Morcha said that scrapping Article 370 had made such a rally possible and it's now time for cultural and social reintegration Article 370, which granted the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir special status, was scrapped by the Centre in August 2019.
"Taking the abrogation of 370 forward, it is our duty to ensure a complete, social, political, and economic re-integration of Jammu and Kashmir. This is a very very important civilisational task that young of India and young of Kashmir must be doing " said Tejasvi Surya.
Around 200 members of BJPs Yuva Morcha from across the country participated in the rally. They will also take part in the Kargil Vijay Diwas tomorrow, marking the anniversary of the end of the Kargil War.
BJP workers from across the Kashmir Valley were also brought in to Lal Chowk for the rally. One worker said it's the second time since 1992 that he has been part of a flag-hoisting here.
"I was here when Murli Manohar Joshi and Narendra Modi had come to hoist the flag. I joined them. When the flag was hoisted and saluted the flag" BJP's Mohammad Ashraf Hajam tells NDTV.
"One person held my hand and asked me my name and took me along. That man was Narendra Modi. Since then I'm with the BJP" he said.
But the move has created controversy too, an official circular from the state administration had ordered every resident of Jammu and Kashmir to hoist the flag at their homes.
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti criticised the move and said that patriotism cannot be forced.
After criticism, officials said that orders making flag hoisting at homes have been withdrawn and that hoisting the national flag is voluntary, not mandatory.
"It's voluntary. There is no compulsion and no one will be forced to hoist the flag. We welcome if any citizen wants to hoist flag after following flag code at his home or shop" said PK Pole, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir.
Lal chowk rally is a big push for Center's Har Ghar tiranga initiative ahead of Independence Day. It was from Lal Chowk, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru had promised plebiscite to people of Kashmir to decide their future. After 1992 flag hoisting attempt, todays rally is like mission accomplished for the BJP - One flag and one nation achieved by abrogation of 370.