Tiranga rallies paint Kashmir in national colours
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Tiranga rallies paint Kashmir in national colours")
Photograph: (WION)
The Kashmir Valley is witnessing Tiranga rallies ahead of Independence Day, with hundreds joining patriotic celebrations across the region.
The Kashmir Valley is draped with the colours of the national flag as a series of Tiranga rallies are being organised across the region ahead of Independence Day on August 15. From Srinagar to parts of South and North Kashmir, civil society groups, security forces and political parties have been organising rallies, with hundreds of people taking to the streets carrying the Tricolour and raising patriotic slogans.
Scenes that would have been difficult to imagine in Kashmir a few years ago are now being witnessed on the streets, particularly in Srinagar. Children, youngsters and women are participating in the rallies, carrying the national flag and marching through areas of the city, including parts of downtown Srinagar.
Several areas of South Kashmir, including Shopian, Pulwama and Kulgam, have also witnessed Tiranga rallies and bike rallies, with large numbers of people participating.
In Srinagar, the BJP organised a Tiranga rally from the Hazratbal area towards the city’s downtown, an area that was once frequently associated with protests, clashes and stone-pelting. BJP leaders and civil society members say the rallies are aimed at encouraging public participation in Independence Day celebrations and strengthening a sense of patriotism.
“BJP and civil society members have come together and conducted these rallies all over the Kashmir Valley, not only in Srinagar, ahead of August 15. We believe that the Tricolour represents the highest national importance and promotes patriotism. We are organising these rallies to ensure huge participation of people,” said BJP District President Sheikh Salman.
One of the striking features of this year’s rallies has been the significant participation of women and girls. From school-going students and college students to political workers and women from civil society, a large number of females have joined the Tiranga rallies across Kashmir.
Trending Stories
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
Political leaders have attributed the participation to what they describe as increased efforts towards women’s empowerment.
“I want to say that our Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke from the very beginning about women’s emancipation, and that is exactly what you see on the ground in the Kashmir Valley. Women are participating in Tiranga rallies. This is a new Kashmir. People from every section of society, the young, the old and women are participating in these rallies,” said BJP leader Shehnaz Ganai.
''The rallies are also an opportunity to remember and pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for India’s independence. These rallies help us strengthen patriotism and also remind us of the people who gave their lives for our independence. We pay tribute to all those people and congratulate everyone on the celebrations of August 15, Independence Day,” Ganai said.
The Tiranga rallies are expected to continue across different parts of the Kashmir Valley in the run-up to August 15. Civil society groups, political parties, the Jammu and Kashmir Police and paramilitary forces are expected to hold further programmes and rallies as part of the Independence Day celebrations.
