Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 24: Jammu Kashmir People’s Forum (JKPF) has appealed all the people of the State, political, social, educational, religious, commercial and trade organizations to celebrate the Accession Day on October 26 with great enthusiasm as well as pomp and show.
Terming the Accession Day a National Day, JKPF convener, Ramesh Sabharwal at a press conference here today said the need of the hour is to celebrate the day with great fevour and enthusiasm all over the State as this day is not less significant for the people of J&K than Independence Day and Republic Day.
Celebrating this day with charm and enthusiasm will also strengthen the nationalist and patriotic forces in the State and dealt a blow to the secessionists.
He said the people should organize functions in their localities by hosting National Flag, by erecting greeting banners and hoardings, convene meetings for highlighting historical aspect of the day and pleading to safe-guard the national integrity at all costs, illuminating shops and other business establishments, residential houses and offices, bursting crackers and displaying firework, distribution of sweets and do drum beatings etc.
Mr Sabharwal also made an appeal to Government to declare this National Day as a Gazetted holiday and hold functions at Government level on the pattern of Independence Day and Republic Day.
He said the 26 October 1947 is an important day in the history of the State as on this day the then ruler of the State, Maharaja Hari Singh took a bold and far sighted decision by acceding to Union of India after Pak raiders invaded Kashmir on October 22 in 1947.
He said the instrument of accession signed by Maharaja was the same as signed by other princely states with Union of India.
He said however, the follies of then Union Government to declare cease fire with Pakistan when Indian Forces were in advanced position who had forced the Pak invaders to beat a hasty retreat, taking the matter to United Nations besides incorporating Article 370 in the Indian Constitution have harmed the national cause in the State.
Sabharwal said that India is committed to implementation of Parliament’s resolution of 1994 which has resolved to free the PoK from clutches of Pakistan as the same is the integral part of India.
He said Dr Shama Prasad Mookherjee the founder president of Bharatiya Jana Sangh had strongly opposed any special Constitutional status to J&K and termed it will lead to balkanization of India while Dr B R Ambedkar chairman of the Constitution’s Drafting Committee had said that he can’t be party to such an act of betrayal of national interests.
Follow our WhatsApp channel