Padyatra refreshes memories of Quit India Movement: PCC chief

Cong leaders and workers taking out Padyatra in Jammu (L) and Sringar (R) on Tuesday. - Excelsior/Rakesh, Sajad Dar
Cong leaders and workers taking out Padyatra in Jammu (L) and Sringar (R) on Tuesday. - Excelsior/Rakesh, Sajad Dar

Mir, Bhalla lead Cong Padyatra in Srinagar, Jammu

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR/ JAMMU, Aug 9: As a part of Nationwide programme, Congress Party today launched Padyatra campaign to celebrate 75th year of India’s independence.
J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Ghulam Ahmad Mir launched Padyatra from Manzmou area of South Kashmir which passed through Dongiwari, Tanjloo, Check, Bumdal, Badermna, Lower Munda, Changoo, Saidiwara, Khangund and Verinag areas covering 75 kms.
Addressed gatherings at various places and Mir apprised the people about the significance of the Padyatra, which marks 75th year of Independence from British Rule after countless sacrifices by the freedom fighters.
Mir said this day August 9, refreshes the memory of Quit India Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi who led the Nation in its struggle to achieve freedom from the savagery of the foreign rule.
PCC chief slammed ruling BJP for trying to distort the history by building fake narrative, the reality is that Modi Govt at Centre could not achieve anything accept paper work and Jumla Bazi on account of the development, employment etc, which is no nowhere to be seen. So, the BJP is doing everything to divert the attention of the people from the real issues, aiming to hide its utter failures and misrule, he added.
Mir demanded restoration of democracy and full statehood to J&K, saying that J&K State was divided into two UTs by the BJP Govt just to fulfill its political agenda.
Prominent among those leading included Mohd Amin Bhat, Gulzar Ahmad Wani, Surinder Singh Channi, Mohd Iqbal Mir and Abid Kashmiri.
In Jammu, the Congress Party took out a massive `Azadi Ki Gaurav Padyatra’, from Bhour Camp to Satwari Chowk, as a part of 75th anniversary of India’s independence to recollect the sacrifices of martyrs and spread the message of communal harmony.
JKPCC) working president, Raman Bhalla, JKPCC general secretaries Manmohan Singh, Yogesh Sawhney, PYC president Uday Bhanu Chib and others were leading the Padyatra campaign. It was organized by JKPCC Refugee Cell vice chairman and Block president Amrit Bali and SC Cell vice president Pawan Bhagat.
Speaking on the occasion, Bhalla said that Congress party has made a huge contribution for attaining independence and provided constitutional governance for 60 years. “Nehru, Indira and Rajiv Gandhi and such other leaders have worked hard for the country. People are tired of the rule of the current government. On August 15, 2022, when India completes 75th year of its Independence, Indian National Congress deemed it imperative to celebrate the day and remember the immense sacrifice of our freedom fighters and their families.
Bhalla said that given the repeated and intensifying attacks on our democracy, our country’s Constitution, the nation’s institutions and the social fabric of our society by the BJP government, the Congress party has started nationwide Bharat Jodo Tiranga Yatra. The ‘Bharat Jodo (Unite India) Yatra’ will cover a distance of around 3,500 km and go through states and Union territories. From August 9 to 15, the party will hold 75 km long yatras in every district to celebrate India’s 75th Independence Day, he added.
“Previous Congress-led governments contributed a lot for India’s development on which the country reached the heights where it is today. An impression was being created that every development in the country happened only after 2014, when the Narendra Modi-led dispensation assumed office. It was not true as former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi had laid the foundation and contributed a lot for infrastructure development in the country. Unfortunately, some forces in the country were trying to distort history and mislead the people. PCC general secretaries, Yogesh Sawhney and Manmohan Singh also spoke on the occasion.