People dance during celebrations of the 77th Independence Day at the historic Ghanta Ghar at Lal Chowk , in Srinagar.
Credit: PTI Photo
While August 15 and January 26 functions in Kashmir used to be a nightmare for common people due to strikes, restrictions and fear, for more than three decades, this Independence Day, there was festivity in the air throughout the Valley. The refurbished Bakshi stadium in Srinagar witnessed a huge rush of people who had come to witness the Independence Day celebrations. There were long queues outside the stadium while others were seen waving the Tricolour at the iconic city centre, Lal Chowk.
It was for the first time after 1989, Independence Day parade venues, including Bakhshi Stadium, were opened for the participation of the common people in Kashmir. Unlike in previous years, there were no internet curbs today, which used to be a norm for Independence and Republic Day events in Kashmir.
The huge number of youth, who had thronged the Independence Day functions, were excited to witness the celebrations. “Finally, Tiranga has trumped over terror in Kashmir,” Furqan Ahmad, a college student, told DH.
He said India is a vibrant democracy, with a dynamic economy with great potential as it has a population of 1.3 billion people, of whom more than 65% are below the age of 35 years.
“We were fed with hollow promises of Azadi and self-rule by the politicians for decades. It brought nothing but destruction to Kashmir. Now I am hopeful that the bad days are over, and we will march towards progress along with the rest of the country,” Ahmad vowed.
His views were echoed by Sana, a university student. “India is a vibrant society with an increasingly vigorous internal dynamic and an increasing influence, directly and indirectly, in the world. Our future lies with India and not guns and stones,” she said.
The Lieutenant Governor appointed by the Centre, after the abrogation of Article 370, was the chief guest at the main Independence Day function. He said that the scrapping of the special status of the erstwhile state and moving it to the mainstream has brought about a host of positive changes over the last four years. In the run-up to the Independence Day celebrations, Tiranga rallies were taken out in various parts of Kashmir in the last two days. All the government offices and other buildings were lit up in the Tricolour theme.