The BJP will commemorate the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir after five years. On the other hand, the Opposition has declared that it will resist this action. Amarnath Yatra has been halted for a day as a precautionary measure.
The BJP is scheduled to stage a “Ekatma Mahatsav” event today to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the repeal of Article 370, hence security has been stepped up throughout Jammu and Kashmir. August 5, five years ago, saw the abolition of Article 370, which granted the former state of Jammu and Kashmir a special status. The state was thereafter divided into two Union Territories.
Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were among the opposition group who criticized the BJP for planning a rally to commemorate the repeal of Article 370 and dubbed August 5 a “black day.”
The demonstration, according to a local PDP leader, would take place outside the Gandhinagar branch of the party.
The Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) would also stage a rally at Maharaja Hari Singh Park to denounce the repeal of Article 370, a spokesperson for the party told news agency PTI.
According to J-K BJP General Secretary and former MLC Vibodh Gupta, the “Ekatma Mahotsav” rally will take place at Bana Singh Stadium in R S Pura on Monday to commemorate the complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of India on August 5, 2019, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
August 5, 2019, is an extremely significant day in our life. Five years ago on this important day, a historic error was rectified and we, the people of Jammu and Kashmir, became fully united with the rest of India. We are moving forward on the path of development and may now enjoy all the rights and liberties,” Gupta was cited as saying by PTI in its report.
J-K Congress chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma chastised the BJP for commemorating the repeal of Article 370, saying, “What was achieved in five years, the BJP should answer to the people, especially Dogras, instead of rubbing salt in their wounds.”
Sharma attacked the J&K BJP, saying that the party is “celebrating the downgrading” of the historic Dogra state and robbing the people of J&K of their position, dignity, identity, and rights. He accused the party of being shameless and of being forced to celebrate the day of J-K’s annihilation.
The Amarnath Yatra Is Ceasing for One Day
Following the fifth anniversary of Article 370’s repeal, the Jammu and Kashmir government has called off the Amarnath Yatra for a single day. No new group of pilgrims was permitted to depart from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp as a precaution.
At this point in time, more than 4.90 lakh pilgrims have visited the 3,880-meter-tall cave sanctuary this year.
“As a precaution, the yatra has been suspended for the day. An officer told PTI that no new batch was permitted to travel from Jammu to Kashmir today.
The Amarnath Yatra is scheduled to end on August 19 and started on June 29.
