Excelsior Correspondent
REASI, Oct 24: The ‘Vilay Divas (Accession Day) rally’ launched by NPP from Poonch today reached Reasi town.
Exhibiting great enthusiasm on the seventh day, the rally led by Harshdev Singh chairman NPP, Balwant Singh Mankotia State president and other leaders, along with hundreds of party activists on the bikes carrying ‘Tricolours’ and Party flags in their hands, earlier reached Katra town. The NPP activists took out a massive rally spreading the message of peace and brotherhood. The rally after passing through Serbadh, Nav Devian , Kotli and Sula, finally culminated at Reasi town where the leaders addressed the gathering.
Addressing the mammoth gathering at Reasi, Harshdev squarely held the successive State Governments responsible for putting the significance of Accession Day in oblivion. He said that Panthers Party had been celebrating ‘Accession Day’ in Jammu since beginning but to combat the anti-national forces it had taken out series of district wise rallies to celebrate ‘Accession Week’ which started on October 17 from district Poonch. He said that the final rally shall be taken out on October 27 in Jammu to commemorate the historic and prudent decision of Maharaja Hari Singh to accede the State with the rest of the country.
Singh adjured the people including intellectuals, shopkeepers, traders, youth, students and all other social organizations to celebrate the revered day like 26th Jan and 15th August. He further appealed to the people to maintain mutual brotherhood, peace and harmony to keep the secular ethos of the region alive.
Balwant Singh Mankotia said that the then Maharaja of J&K Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession on Oct 26 , 1947 which was accepted by then Governor General of India Lord Mountbatten on October 27, 1947 following which the J&K State acceded with the Indian Union and became an integral part of the country. He added that it was auspicious October 27, 1947 which bestowed legal and constitutional right to the State subjects of the J&K to claim themselves as proud Indians.
NPP leaders sought declaration of Oct 27 as holiday with its due observance as a State function.