Srinagar, Aug 15 : Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly and senior BJP leader Sunil Sharma on Saturday congratulated the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the country on the 80th Independence Day and criticised Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for allegedly using the Independence Day platform for political purposes.
Sharma said Independence Day was an occasion to remember the sacrifices of freedom fighters, including Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad and Subhas Chandra Bose, who laid down their lives for the country’s freedom.
He said it was a matter of pride that the national anthem and “Vande Mataram” were sung at Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar during the Independence Day celebrations.
“This is a great success after August 5, 2019, where in a place like Kashmir, at Bakshi Stadium, everyone showed their faith in Vande Mataram,” Sharma said.
He also praised the youth and security forces for their contribution to maintaining peace and strengthening national unity in Jammu and Kashmir.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day address, Sharma said the government’s focus on youth and its vision for a developed India by 2047 were welcome steps.
“The foundation of the developed India that we are planning for 2047 is the youth of India. The government has decided to take the youth in a new direction, which is very welcome,” he said.
However, Sharma criticised Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for referring to political issues during his Independence Day address.
“I don’t want to talk about politics, but I was very shocked when such a stage was used by the Chief Minister for political purposes,” he said.
Sharma said the Independence Day platform represented the history and glory of the country and should not be treated as a platform belonging to any political party or individual.
“This stage represents the glorious history of India. This stage is not the stage of a party or a person. This stage is for the glory of the flag. It is irresponsible to talk about politics here by the Chief Minister,” he said.
Reacting to Abdullah’s reference to August 5, 2019, Sharma said he was disappointed by the repeated mention of the event during the Independence Day programme.
“The way he repeated the incident of August 5, 2019, I felt very bad. Because any government tells about its performance and future planning. I don’t think the Chief Minister had any performance or future planning. It was totally confusing and frustrating,” Sharma said.
Sharma said Independence Day should instead be used to highlight development, governance and the future of Jammu and Kashmir and the country.(KNS).
