Saffron parties have upped the ante against separatists and asked the Mehbooba Mufti-led coalition government to declare October 26 as holiday in Jammu and Kashmir in order to celebrate the accession day as the National Day.

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Leading the charge is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which organised a function on Thursday to celebrate the Accession Day. It also asked the PDP-BJP government in the state to declare October 26 a gazetted holiday in a bid to blunt the tools of separatists.

On October 26, 1947, the instrument of accession was signed by the last Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh with the union of India. The landing of Indian Army in Kashmir came a day a after on October 27, 1947 when the first battalion of the Sikh Regiment was airlifted from Delhi to Srinagar to save Kashmir from Pakistan-abetted tribal raiders. Since then, October 27 is celebrated every year as Infantry Day by the Indian Army.

"The Jammu and Kashmir issue was settled permanently in 1947 after its ruler signed the Instrument of Accession to make the state a part of India. The fate of the people of J&K is linked with Indian democracy. Today we celebrate this auspicious accession throughout the country. We, the people of J&K, firmly believe in Indian democracy and secular nation, and we shall continue to enjoy this in future too," said Altaf Thakur, State Media Secretary, while addressing an event to mark Accession Day.

The BJP's demand comes against the backdrop of separatists upping the ante and asking people to observe October 27 as 'black day' for the landing of Indian army in Kashmir. Joint Resistance Leadership of separatists have asked people to observe a complete strike on October 27.

"International Community and the United Nations Security Council should play its effective role in getting the UN resolutions on Kashmir implemented without further loss of time, so that peace and tranquility is established in the sub-continent," a spokesman of Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association Srinagar said.

DAY TO REMEMBER

  • Joint Resistance Leadership of separatists have asked the people to observe Oct 27 as Black Day against the landing of Indian Army in Kashmir a day after the accession deal was signed on October 26, 1947.