Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 23: Activists of Yuva Rajput Sabha (YRS) today staged a protest demonstration and also started hunger strike here to press their demand for declaring a holiday on the birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh, the last Dogra ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, on September 23.
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The YRS activists led by their president Rajan Singh Happy assembled in front of Maharaja Hari Singh’s statue near main Tawi Bridge and staged a sit-in protest. Holding placards in their hands, they raised slogans in support of their demand. They were joined by leaders of various social and political organizations, including Team Jammu, Shiv Sena, PDP and Apni Party, Bar Association, YLA Association, Transport Union, Employees Association and Ikkjutt Jammu.
Some YRS members including Rajan Singh, Shamsher Singh, Balbir Singh, Surinder Singh Gilli (ex-president), Mandeep Singh (senior vice-president) and Vishal Singh (vice- president) also sat on hunger strike.
Speaking on the occasion, Rajan Singh said that for last 10 years they have been demanding holiday on September 23 but the Government is delaying it day by day with their false promises. He said Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had also formed a four-member committee in January this year to look into their long-standing demand.
“We do not know the fate of the Committee formed by the Government on our demand for a public holiday as a tribute to our great Maharaja who was the one who made J&K the crown of India by signing the instrument of accession,” he added.
Rajan said that all activists of YRS are fully prepared to fight till their last breath to compel the Government to announce a holiday on September 23 on the birth anniversary of the Maharaja Hari Singh, which is approaching soon. “If Government fails to declare holiday within few days, then our peaceful agitation will convert into mass moment with the help of all Dogras of Jammu,” he added.
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