2 years of abrogation of Article 370: BJP hoists tricolor across J&K, PDP says 'day of mourning'

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SRINAGAR: The BJP on Thursday (August 5) celebrated the second anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A by holding Tiranga rallies and hoisting the national flag across Jammu and Kashmir. On the other hand, the PDP called it 'a day of mourning for J&K' and took out protest marches. Romasia Rafiq, the BJP's Municipal Councillor from Anantnag district's Khanabal, kicked off the party's celebrations in the valley by hoisting the Tricolour near the Degree College at Khanabal. She was accompanied by around 200 party workers.

Bandipora BJP district chief Abdul Rehman Tikri was joined by a dozen party workers as he hoisted the national flag at the party office. Block Development Council (BDC) member Sushma Nehru along with 20 other people hoisted the national flag at Panzulla Panchayat Ghar in Baramulla district. BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh, who is also the party affairs in-charge for the union territories of J&K and Ladakh, said one of the more significant achievements of the 2019 decision was that it dealt a big blow to the divisive and terrorist forces.

In Srinagar, wearing black bands, scores of PDP leaders and activists, led by party president Mehbooba Mufti, took out a protest march from the party's head office near the Sher-e-Kashmir Park. They shouted slogans against the Centre's August 5, 2019 decisions and in favour of a "resolution of the Kashmir issue". The protesters were, however, stopped by police near GPO and turned back.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said, "Today is a day of mourning for J-K. It is unfortunate that the BJP is celebrating across the country, while Kashmir is mourning. The existence of the people of J-K will remain only when we all will together restore our constitutional position and then resolve the Kashmir issue by forcing the Government of India to talk to the people of J-K to address the internal dimension and talk with Pakistan as well to address the external dimension."

"There is no other option. They are already talking to Pakistan resulting in the ceasefire which in turn resulted in decline in infiltration," she said.

Mehbooba said her party is of the view that Jammu and Kashmir has to become a bridge of peace between India and Pakistan. She said the BJP will have to take back the decisions taken on August 5, 2019.