Srinagar, Aug 5: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday held celebrations by unfurling the tricolor at the Church lane here to mark the second anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370.
Addressing party workers on the occasion, BJP National General Secretary, Tarun Chugh, who is also the party incharge of J&K and Ladakh, said that one of the most significant “achievements” in the post-Article 370 period has been that the “divisive forces” have been dealt a big blow and an atmosphere of development and progress has given people a new hope.
“After many decades the Pakistan-sponsored militancy seems to be on the back foot and people are heaving a sigh of relief as they are no longer dancing to the tune of the ISI agents. The anti-national feelings among people have been replaced by inclusive ideas of development and progress,” Chugh said.
Chugh said that the basic facilities of health and education have “improved considerably” in J&K even as people from Gujjar and other communities have found equal opportunities to grow, which he said, they had been deprived of for 70 years.
Chugh said that democratic norms have been restored in J&K after the election to the local bodies.
“Elections to the block development councils and district development councils have empowered people and strengthened democracy at the grassroots level,” Chugh said.
Chugh came down heavily on what he called the “Gupkar gang parties” for still trying to disrupt the positive narrative in J&K.
He said the “Gupkar parties” were under strong apprehension that they would soon become redundant in J&K politics because people would slowly give them up and their “divisive agenda”.
On the occasion BJP J&K General Secretary Sunil Sharma highlighted the ‘Ek Bharat, Ek Atma Bharat (One India)’ campaign. “We have defeated those forces who want to divide Jammu and Kashmir,” Sharma said.
Meanwhile, Romasia Rafiq, the BJP’s Municipal Councillor from Anantnag district’s Khanabal, kicked off party celebrations by hoisting the tricolour near the Degree College at Khanabal. She was accompanied by almost 200 party workers.
Bandipora BJP district chief Abdul Rehman Tikri was joined by a dozen party workers as he hoisted the national flag at the party office.
Block Development Council (BDC) member Sushma Nehru along with 20 other people hoisted the national flag at Panzulla Panchayat Ghar in Baramulla district. (with inputs from PTI)