Omar Abdullah on Friday became the first elected chief minister in eight years to unfurl the national flag and preside over the main Independence Day function at Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti was the last chief minister to lead the Independence Day celebrations here in 2017.
The PDP-BJP coalition government collapsed in June 2018 after the saffron party withdrew support from its local partner, resulting in the imposition of Governor’s rule in the erstwhile state. There was no elected government until Jammu and Kashmir was reorganized into two union territories in August 2019 following the abrogation of Article 370, which had granted special status to the state.
While the Governor unfurled the national flag during Independence Day and Republic Day functions in 2018 and 2019, the honour was performed by the Lieutenant Governor from 2020 to 2024.
Assembly elections held towards the end of last year paved the way for Abdullah to become the first chief minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Abdullah unfurled the tricolour at Bakshi Stadium, received a guard of honour, and inspected the contingents participating in the parade. He also took the salute as contingents from the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Central Armed Paramilitary Forces, and school children marched past the podium.
Abdullah’s cabinet colleagues presided over Independence Day functions in the winter capital Jammu and other key district headquarters across the union territory.
This year, the cultural programme, traditionally one of the highlights of the Independence Day celebrations, was cancelled as a mark of respect for those who lost their lives in the Kishtwar flash floods on Thursday.
(Agencies)
