Locals participate in a 'Tiranga' rally ahead of the upcoming 77th Independence Day, on the banks of Dal Lake in Srinagar, Sunday, August 13, 2023.
Credit: PTI Photo
In a significant development, a few middle-rung separatist leaders joined representatives of civil society and officials in a 'Har Ghar Tiranga' rally held under the auspices of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav,’ on the banks of Dal Lake, here, on Sunday.
According to reports, Javid Mir of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and Ghulam Nabi Shaheen of the Kashmir Bar Association were surprise attendees during the rally which aimed to encourage citizens to embrace the national flag as a symbol of unity and freedom. The rally was flagged off by J&K L-G Manoj Sinha.
While Mir was the self-styled chief commander of the JKLF in the early 1990’s, Shaheen was General Secretary of the Bar, which at one point in time was a constituent of the separatist amalgam, the Hurriyat Conference.
Mir was named as an accused in the 25th January 1990 attack on Indian Air Force personnel in the outskirts of Srinagar along with others, including JKLF chief Yasin Malik. He shot to fame when Malik was put behind bars in 1990.
In 2022, the J&K government filed a dossier of “professional misconduct” and "indulgence in secessionist activities" against Shaheen, former president of the Bar Mian Abdul Qayoom, and Nazir Ronga, seeking appropriate action against them under the Advocates Act, 1961.
The participation of separatist leaders in the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' rally is a big change from the past - when even the common man was afraid of attending such events.
“The Tricolor represents the idea of India. Kashmir was a place where hoisting the Tricolour was a matter of contest for decades. Now all that has changed,” said Mohammad Idrees, an engineering student and one of the participants in the rally.
He said the change has to be measured not through the physical optics “but the mental space it occupies”.
President of the Kashmir Private School Association, Ghulam Nabi War, who participated in the rally, said that the vibrant display of patriotism reflects the collective sentiments of the people of the Valley, emphasising their unwavering commitment to the nation.
Former President of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Sheik Ashiq termed the rally “a new beginning and a wonderful indicator.” “This rally did the finest job of portraying the shift that is now taking place on the ground,” Ashiq said.