Amid tight vigil, Tiranga rally flagged off from Srinagar

Samaan Lateef

Srinagar, July 25

Srinagar’s historic Lal Chowk was out of bounds for locals on Monday as a rally of bike-borne BJP workers entered the city centre to hoist the national flag and pay tributes to the martyrs of Kargil War. Nearly 300 bikers from across the country, mostly of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), participated in the rally that was flagged off by BJP general secretary Tarun Chug. The rally will reach Kargil War Memorial in Drass on July 26 on the occasion of Vijay Diwas. BJYM president Tejaswi Surya was also present.

‘Article 370 barrier’

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The Lal Chowk event saw unprecedented security arrangements as the whole area was sealed amid a heavy deployment of security personnel. Drones too were used to keep vigil. Authorities shut shops and schools as roads leading to the Ghanta Ghar were barricaded.

Tarun Chug said, “The Mufti and Abdullah families had made J&K a terrorism capital while PM Narendra Modi made it a tourism capital.”

He said Mehbooba Mufti had claimed that after the abrogation of Article 370, no one would raise the Tricolour in J&K. “Let her see how everyone has been carrying the Tricolour,” he said.

PDP leader Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura said, “Roads leading to Ghanta Ghar and Lal Chowk were blocked. Shops and a school in the vicinity were shut so that a political party can showcase its nationalism.”

Rajnath, chiefs of Tri-Services to pay homage in Delhi

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and chiefs of the Tri-Services will pay homage at the National War Memorial in New Delhi to mark Kargil Vijay Diwas on Tuesday.
• The 23rd anniversary has seen a series of events and activities undertaken by the Army, the Air Force and other organisations as a mark of honour for bravehearts.

Business establishments closed

• The area around Lal Chowk in Srinagar was sealed amid heavy deployment of security men for the flag-off ceremony.
• Shops and a school were shut as roads leading to Ghanta Ghar were barricaded. Drones were also pressed into service.
• Tarun Chug said, “The Mufti and Abdullah families had made J&K a terrorism capital while the PM made it a tourism capital.”

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