My politics, my pledge

The day I joined politics, I took a pledge to protect what we have and struggle to get what we deserve, or have been snatched, or has been promised to us. AIP started with celebrating State Flag Day as the state flag speaks about our unique identity and has been a binding force between the three regions of the state. 7th June 1952 is a day to be remembered by people of J&K cutting across political, ethnic, religious or regional affiliations. On this day J&K’s constituent assembly passed a resolution giving state its own flag, the one seen flying high at all prestigious places including Civil Secretariat. Unfortunately from late Sheikh Sahab to Mehbooba Mufti, no Chief Minister ever thought of giving due sanctity and significance to the state flag. The least they could have done would have been to celebrate 7th June as State Flag Day every year.

Without adding any bitterness I just want to give a gentle reminder to my critics and political opponents who bombarded me for celebrating first ever State Flag Day on 7th June 2012. Thanks God few years later when BJP Government at the Centre, through its proxies, dragged Article 35A and 370 to Supreme Court, the same people had to agree AIP’s slogan “Let us preserve what we have and fight for what has been snatched from us or promised to us.” Anyway despite barriers and hindrances from the Administration, AIP has been celebrating State Flag Day regularly since last seven years and not only the common masses have understood the significance of the state flag but the youth have been hoisting the same at various functions including sports events in every nook and corner of the state. Unfortunately this year when all preparations were made to make this year’s State Flag Day a grand success and Administration had provided the permission for the same, it was shocking when we were conveyed, just hours before the function was scheduled to begin, that permission has been withdrawn without citing any reason. Our all efforts to persuade the Administration failed and the even could not take place. There can be nothing strange and shocking that despite the fact that those who withdrew the permission are under legal obligation to respect and protect the sanctity of the state flag. Of course hidden hands directed the local Administration to cancel the permission, but the cause of worry is that those crying every day about protecting 35A and 370 kept criminal silence over the shameful act of the Administration. It needs to be recalled that we had been inviting every year political parties from all camps to participate in the event but they never responded. May I just ask NC and PDP leadership that if tomorrow the state flag is taken off from the prestigious places would you still keep mum, and why do you often talk about important issues when it is always too late. It is for the leadership of the state especially that from Jammu province to make first themselves and then their people understand that state flag belongs to every resident of J&K and any move to downplay its significance will certainly be detrimental to the larger interests of state. Local BJP leaders must also think hundred times before speaking a word against Article 370 or 35A or the state flag. Praising Maharaja Hari Singh but challenging the state subject laws, state has inherited from him, is straight away disrespecting and challenging his wisdom. Similarly citing instrument of accession as an argument to claim J&K as India’s integral part ,but disrespecting the conditions of instrument of accession is not only immoral, but illogical.

   

Let the current regime in New Delhi understand that it has to be realistic, and by just accusing Kashmiris of being Pakistani proxies, it is simply providing further ammunition in the hands of those who really don’t want any reconciliation with New Delhi. Before accusing and abusing Kashmiris, New Delhi must introspect and at least confess that not Kashmiris but the successive Governments at the Centre, mostly headed by congress, have created sense of insecurity among people of J&K by snatching everything they were guaranteed and by denying people of the state even their legitimate democratic rights they were supposed to get as citizens of India. Let us all take a pledge that we will uphold the sanctity of state flag which belongs to all of us and if we fail to do so not only Kashmiris but the ultra-nationalists from Jammu province will have to repent sooner than later.

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