Jammu and Kashmir may witness another face-off this Independence Day as 20 youths from various parts of the country have challenged the administration and separatist groups to stop them from hoisting the Tricolour at Lal Chowk in Srinagar on August 15.
Hurt at the anti-national activities and slogans in Kashmir for over 15 days, the group, including three Muslims, challenged separatist leaders in Kashmir to stop them from unfurling the Tricolour at Lal Chowk on Independence Day. The youths are not affiliated to any political or social group.
The group will be led by 23-year-old Vinayak Sharma, a resident of Jaipur in Rajasthan. He had filed a case against Facebook about a year back for disrespecting the Tricolour.
He had actively participated in the protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi in support of students of the NIT in Srinagar, who were beaten up by the police when they unfurled the Tricolour after the T-20 semifinal between India and the West Indies on March 31.
“We have great respect for our country and the national flag. We have read in books since childhood that Kashmir is an integral part of India. The present situation in Kashmir, where people are disrespecting the Tricolour and sing the same tune as Pakistan, has hurt patriotic citizens of the country,” Vinayak said.
“We have decided to show these anti-national elements that Kashmir belongs to India. We will unfurl the Tricolour at Lal Chowk in Srinagar on August 15,” he added.
The group includes three Muslim youths from Rajasthan. They had joined the group to spread the message that the movement was not based on religion. “It is all about the country,” Vinayak said.
The group will gather in New Delhi and start their journey to Srinagar.
Youth from different parts of India to Unfurling national flag at Lal Chowk on I Day
