Many Distts in both divisions record 100 pc attendance
Participation remains voluntarily at all places
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 16: For the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, as many as 27390 educational institutions, Government offices, Panchayats, Municipalities, Youth Clubs etc participated in the Independence Day celebrations across the Union Territory by hoisting tricolor and holding functions.
In Jammu region, 16585 institutions out of a total of 17298 joined the Independence Day celebrations yesterday while the number in Kashmir division stood at 10805.
Official sources told the Excelsior that this was a rare occasion of such a large participation of educational institutions, Government offices etc in the Independence Day celebrations as there were times when they used to stay away from such functions due to threats by the militants, separatists and other anti-national elements.
“This time, the institutions openly and voluntarily came forward to unfurl the tricolor in their premises and celebrated the Independence Day by organizing various kind of functions including cultural programmes, singing of patriotic songs and holding parades etc,” sources said.
Citing figures, they said all 801 educational institutions, Panchayats, Government offices and Youth Clubs held the Independence Day functions by hoisting national flag in their premises in Bandipora district.
Similar numbers in Ganderbal district were 603 out of 798, 696 out of 696 in Shopian, 1267 out of 1621 in Budgam, 2120 from 2297 in Anantnag, 1210 out of 1210 in Pulwama, 749 of 922 in Kulgam and 620 out of 620 in Srinagar district.
Participation in rest of the Kashmir districts was 1099 in Baramulla and 1640 in Kupwara.
In Jammu region, Poonch, Samba, Kathua, Ramban, Reasi, Doda and Jammu districts recorded 100 percent participation in the Independence Day celebrations.
All 1902 Government offices, Municipalities, Government schools and colleges, Panchayats and Youth Clubs attended the Independence Day functions in Poonch district.
Similarly, all 654 institutions in Samba, 2403 in Kathua, 1205 in Samba, 1551 in Reasi, 1816 in Doda and 1943 in Jammu district joined August 15 celebrations by unfurling tricolor, holding parades and other functions, sources said.
However, in Udhampur district, only 1585 institutions out of 2202 joined the Independence Day celebrations, the lowest in entire Jammu region.
In Rajouri district, 2553 institutions out of a total of 2597 joined August 15 functions while in Kishtwar district, 973 from 1025 participated in the celebrations.
“Participation of such a large number of institutions in the Independence Day functions shows massive enthusiasm among the people including Government officers/officials, teaching staff, Panchayat members, students, youth etc,” sources said, adding that the participation everywhere was voluntarily.
Such a large participation especially in Kashmir has come as a big surprise for the Government also as never in the past such an huge attendance has been witnessed in the Valley institutions.
“There were occasion in the past when majority of Government offices, educational institutions etc used to remain shut in Kashmir and no functions were held to celebrate Independence and Republic Day. Now, the scenario has completely changed and the people are openly coming forward to celebrate the National Days,” sources said.
Even in the Jammu region, in some of the districts, the participation by the people including Government officials/officers used to be a problem but now there has been total transformation, the sources pointed out.
At many places, the students were also seen marching in the rallies after attending Independence Day celebrations.
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