SRINAGAR, JAN 23: Reacting over the order of Governor regarding Republic Day Celebration Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Dy chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Kavinder Gupta said that people should celebrate 26 Jan and 15 August like religious festival.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has made it mandatory for government employees to attend the Republic Day functions at Srinagar and Jammu and has warned that any failure will be “construed as dereliction of duty and disobedience of Government instructions”.
While speaking to News agency Press Trust of Kashmir Gupta said, “There is nothing wrong in the order. Its good and people should appreciate and come to celebrate 26 January”. He added that there should be feeling like nation First and Government employees should attend Republic day as there are taking salary from Government of India”.
He added that some people create problems in Kashmir otherwise people are attending R-Day with full joy and happiness. Meanwhile BJP national leader Ram Madhav seemed to be supporting the Governor on the issue saying the order should be accepted as a matter of pride.
“It is a matter of pride for every Indian. We all have to participate in the Republic day parade,” Madhav said in response to a question on political parties reportedly criticising the order.
The state of Jammu and Kashmir has been placed under the Governor’s rule since June last year when the coalition government between PDP and BJP fell apart.
However PDP leader Waheed Para wrote on twitter “Nationalism can never be dictated. There should be ‘will’ for such events not forced diktats. This clears how things happen and are happening in the ‘integral’ part. Patriotism can’t be enforced it should be inherent”.
MLA Engineer Rasheed termed it as an ‘unconstitutional’ order. Reacting to this opposition, the Governor reiterated his stand on Monday by saying that there is ‘nothing wrong with it’.
“It is the duty of every government servant to attend the (Republic Day) function which commemorates an important turning point in the history of our Nation,” reads a government order issued by the Deputy Secretary Chander Prakash. “All the officers and officials of the State government stationed at Jammu/Srinagar are, therefore, enjoined upon to attend the functions of the Republic Day celebration… as part of their official duty. Failure to attend the function will be construed as dereliction of duty and disobedience of Government instructions”.
Top officials have been asked to ensure that the staff working under them attends the Republic Day functions at Jammu and Srinagar.
“All the Administrative Secretaries, Heads of Departments, Managing Director/Chief Executives of the Public Sector Undertakings are requested to ensure that all officers/officials working under their administrative control, and stationed at Srinagar/Jammu, attend the function at their respective places,” the order reads.
The main Republic Day function in Jammu and Kashmir would be held at Jammu where Governor Satya Pal Malik will preside over at the official function. In the Kashmir Valley, the main function would be held at Sher-i-Kashmir Cricket Stadium in Srinagar.
The order (No: GAD(Adm)173/2015-I) issued by the General Administration Department has asked the J&K State Road Transport Corporation and the Tourism Development Corporation to keep its vehicles ready for transportation of the employees to the Republic Day function. (PTK)