Lot of enthusiasm among BJP activists of Kashmir
Avtar Bhat
SRINAGAR, Mar 4: There is lot of enthusiasm among the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists in Kashmir for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s March 7 rally to be held at Bakshi Stadium here. The party men are in a upbeat mode saying that PM’s visit will boost their morale further during the electioneering season.
The party activists have decorated entire Srinagar city with welcome gates, banners and hoardings to give a tumultuous welcome to PM during his maiden visit of Srinagar especially after the annulling of controversial Articles 370 and 35 A and bifurcation of erstwhile J&K State in Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh.
The BJP leaders and activists of Kashmir have a common view that people of strife torn Valley heaved a sigh of relief after the annulling of Articles 370 and 35 A as they got rid of daily strikes, bandhs and calanders issued by separatist and militant organisations which had hit the common people of Valley hard and putting economy of Kashmir to a grinding halt.
The BJP leaders in Kashmir said the people of Kashmir love and respect Modi and have a very good reason for this. “There are no bandhs and strikes now, the education of the students has not been affected since 2019 as schools, colleges and universities function normally”.
“The parents of students are thankful to Modi Government for restoring peace in the strife torn valley and creating a new hope for the people who were hard hit three decade long violence,” they added.
The party has set a target of bringing 10,000 people from each district while Srinagar district has volunteered to bring 20,000 people in the rally, said BJP workers, adding from some districts especially in South Kashmir the number of spectators participating in the rally will be much more.
BJP spokesman J&K Altaf Thakur said “There is lot of enthusiasm in a common Kashmiri to listen PM. There is peace everywhere in Kashmir which is a sign of prosperity also”, He said “Every sector is working smoothly and people’s expectations have increased on PM as he did lot for common masses irrespective of their religion, region and caste”.
Thakur said he is the first PM who talked about Kashmiri’s handicrafts, agriculture, horticulture in his popular Radio programme Maan Ki Baat. He interacted with farmers, craftsman, artisans, horticulturists of Kashmir in Maan Ki Baat programme.
Rafiq Ahmed Wani, BJP National Executive Member (NEM) and Seh Prabhari Kashmir said the number of people attending rally will be more than expectations because people of Kashmir take Modi in high esteem. They have seen how this Government worked for common masses especially for poor and downtrodden, he added.
The launch of Golden Card under Ayushman Bharat Scheme is a great work done by PM and every individual of J&K whether falling under APL or BPL category has been entitled to its benefits. This is a great thing and Kashmiris are really greatful to him. He said preparations for rally are going in full swing by the party. The Srinagar city has been fully decorated. From Airport to Bakshi Stadium the venue of rally welcome gates, BJP flags and hoardings have been installed. In other areas the party flags and hoardings will be installed tomorrow and day after tomorrow. It will be a grand welcome to PM, he added.
Wani said there is a sea change in Kashmir since August 5 of 2019 when Articles 370 and 35 A were annulled. Record number of tourists visited Kashmir. Sachin Tendulkar came to Kashmir recently and he played cricket with children of Kashmir. This was not possible in Congress rule. Shah Rukh Khan shooted his picture in South Kashmir which otherwise was not possible. Rahul Gandhi could never imagine to take Pad Yatra in Kashmir under Congress rule and this all happened as Modi created a congenial atmosphere in Valley, he added.
He said the members of Pahari and Gujjar community from South Kashmir attired in their traditional dresses will enmass attend the PM’s rally.
There will be good public participation in the rally as Kashmiris love Modi a lot and hail his pro poor policies, said former MLC Surinder Ambardar in charge North and Central Kashmir. His views were endorsed by his party colleague and in charge South Kashmir, Vir Saraf. He said besides common Kashmiri both members of Pahari as well as Gujjar community from South Kashmir will join the rally in large numbers.
BJP district president, Srinagar Ashok Bhat said that 20,000 party men from Srinagar alone will attend the rally. He said as the capacity in Bakshi Stadium may fall short in accommodating large crowd the party has decided to install LEDs at various places in the City where from people can listen and see PM.
Meanwhile, BJP JK UT president, Ravinder Raina said about two lakh people are expected to join the mega rally of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi at Srinagar’s Bakshi Stadium on March 7.
Modi is scheduled to arrive in Kashmir valley on March 7 to address the public rally, for which all arrangements have been put in place.
“It is a matter of great happiness for the people of Kashmir that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is arriving here on March 7 to address a big rally at Bakshi Stadium Srinagar around 10 AM where about two lakh people are expected to join”, Raina told mediapersons in Srinagar.
Recalling the day when then Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited the Kashmir valley in 2003, he said there was a huge gathering of people at the event in Srinagar.
The BJP J&K president said “We cannot forget that when the floods of 2014 submerged whole of Kashmir a ray of hope emerged as Prime Minister, Narendra Modi visited Srinagar’s Lal Chowk during the Diwali festival.
“Modi did not celebrate the auspicious occasion with his colleagues in New Delhi but visited Srinagar’s Lal Chowk where he announced a mega Rs 80,000 crore development project for the Valley that time”, Raina said and added, “It was because of that package Kashmir valley emerged out of that fury”.
Raina said today tremendous development is going on in Kashmir that has brought peace, prosperity, and brotherhood in the Valley. Today a rail link is being established from Kanyakumari to Baramulla in Kashmir.
“There was only one AIIMS in Delhi, now a new AIIMS hospital is being constructed at Awantipora for which the Government of India has sanctioned thousands of crores”, he said.
“Either it is the construction of Anantnag Medical College, Handwara Medical College, Srinagar Ring Road, highways, express highways, roads and schools in the villages, hospitals, and colleges, Modi Government has wholeheartedly sanctioned funds”, he said.
He said the Zojila tunnel connecting Kashmir valley with Ladakh is being constructed at a good pace.
“The Kashmir valley is passing through a prosperous period today with people living in peace, (with) love, brotherhood, and honour, only because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s good policies”, he said.
The Prime Minister has written a new chapter of development for the Kashmir valley and with the mission of “Sab Ka Saath, Sab Ka Vikas and Sab Ka Vishwas” Kashmir is flourishing today, he said.
He said the BJP has emerged as the biggest political party in Kashmir valley only because of the Prime Minister’s efforts and sanctioning of unprecedented grants for the development.
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