By IANS,
Jammu : There will be contrasting moods in Jammu and Kashmir Friday with the former princely state completing 65 years of its accession to India.
On Oct 26, 1947, Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession with Governor General of India Lord Mountbatten. The move was ratified the next day.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Panthers Party in Jammu are set to celebrate the day.
“This day is as important as Independence Day or Republic Day and should be celebrated with similar fervour,” said Panthers Party president Balwant Singh Mankotia.
The BJP has asked people to celebrate on two locations.
The Jammu Kashmir People’s Forum, a social organisation, has also appealed people in Jammu to celebrate the day with enthusiasm.
But separatist groups in the Kashmir Valley, like in previous years, are calling Oct 26 a “black day”.
“We have been protesting every year. But since Eid al-Azha falls on the same day, I appeal to people to pray for freedom,” said separatist leader Nayeem Khan.
Mainstream parties such as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Congress and National Conference have not called for celebrations but did say that Oct 26 was significant.
“This day is special as Jammu and Kashmir became an integral part of India with a special status,” Congress spokesman Ravinder Sharma told IANS.
He said the event was similar to the accession of over 500 princely states into India though the dates were different.
But PDP spokesman Nayeem Akhtar said the state had not benefited in terms of democracy like the rest of the country.
“Civil liberties here is still an issue. I regret to say that Bangladesh and Pakistan are ahead of Jammu and Kashmir on this.”
No one from ruling National Conference was ready to comment.
However, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in a speech in the assembly in October 2010, had said: “We have acceded to India under certain agreements and unlike Hyderabad and Junagarh, we haven’t merged with India.”