Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 26: History has been created in Jammu and Kashmir with the removal of separate flag, for which people had been agitating for decades and this is the occasion to remember those patriots who had initiated the slogan of ‘One Constitution, One Flag and One Prime Minister’ for the unity and integrity of the country.
This is also the real tribute to those 16 youth, who attained martyrdom for hoisting the National Tricolor at various places at Chhamb, Hiranagar, Jourian, Sunderbani and Ramban during historic “Ek Vidhan, Ek Nishan, Ek Pradhan” agitation of Praja Parishad in 1952-53.
This was observed by BJP State spokesperson, Balbir Ram Rattan, while putting forth party’s viewpoint on doing away with the provision of separate flag, saying that it is also the time to pay tribute to the visionary Pt. Premnath Dogra, who had taken up the task of demolishing the barriers between the State and rest of the country but had to undergo jail in horrible conditions during the Winter months facing all the hardships of the weather and above all being treated as enemy’s agent.
Balbir said that it is also the occasion to recall the supreme sacrifice of the towering opposition leader in the Parliament and also the president of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Dr. Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, for raising his voice against the Permit System between J&K and rest of India. He was arrested and detained in the huts of gardeners of Nishal-Bagh in Srinagar.
His only fault was that he had entered in the State without permit, which was prevailing in those days to visit and go from this part of India. He was the first to assure the people of State that he would give them the Constitution of India in full or sacrifice his life (Vidhaan Doonga Ya Jaan Doonga). It was an irony of the fate that Dr. Mookerjee died in detention but no inquiry was conducted despite the veils of his old mother Yogmaya and the demand put forth by the then Chief Minister of Bengal, Dr. B.C. Ray.
The long struggle of the patriotic people has culminated with the abrogation of Article 370 and the achievement of one Constitution, One Flag, One Nation, thus writing a new chapter in the history of the State, added Balbir.