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| Will Omar prevent Sangh marchers from reaching Srinagar? | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
Jammu, Jan 13: Will Omar Abdullah allow Sangh marchers to unfurl tricolour at Lal Chowk? This is a million dollar question that continues to bother people not only in Jammu and Kashmir but in rest of the country. Reports said that the state Government is yet to finalise its strategy for dealing with the Ekta March of the Bhartya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) that the BJP Chief, Nitin Gadkari, flagged off in Kolkata on Wednesday. The marchers are scheduled to unfurl the tricolour at the historical Lal Chowk in Srinagar on the Republic Day on January 26.
There is division of opinion in the Government. While the one set of opinion favours stern steps be initiated for preventing the marchers from reaching to Lal Chowk, others want the Government to make adequate security arrangements at Lal Chowk so that the symbolic unfurling of the national flag event passed off peacefully.
However, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who has succeeded in conquering interior of Srinagar after a gap of over seven months by attending two functions, is opposed to the yatra business on the plea that it can trigger fresh phase of violence in Kashmir. But those who want the Government to make suitable arrangements for the flag unfurling ceremony are of the opinion that such a step could convey to the separatists and the militants that the Government was not prepared to cave under their threats.
Those who want to Ekta Yatra to reach Srinagar say that if the yatra was stopped on the highway it could be construed as Government's buckling under the pressure of the rebels. They say that the Ekta march has been in practice since 1992 when Dr Murli Manohar Joshi unfurled the tricolour at Lal Chowk amid tight security measures. Later on the BJP activists were stopped on the highway while travelling to Srinagar for the purpose of unfurling the tricolour on either the independence Day or on the Republic Day.
Whether the BJP activists unfurled the tricolour at Lal Chowk on some occasions or not the security forces, especially the paramilitary forces, would carry out the customary practice of hoisting the national flag on the Ghantaghar, erected by the prominent industrial house of the Bajaj's in early 80's, in Lal Chowk. But it was last year when the security forces did not unfurl any tricolour on the Ghantaghar in Srinagar on the Republic Day for reasons known only to the CRPF or the BSF authorities.
While the BJP and its youth wing want to demonstrate their support and love for the state's total integration with rest of the country, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, has fears that the flag unfurling may trigger violence and street protests that could mark an advent of the second phase of the civilian strife. Omar Abdullah does not want to provide any provocation to the separatists and the militants from any quarter. The current lull is being treated by the Chief Minister as the first sign of peace and as such he would be the last man to allow the BJP and its youth wing to destabilise peace even if it is yet fragile.
Two things have gone wrong in the entire course of the Ekta yatra. First the BJP and its youth wing gave much hype to its march. In the past activists whether belonging to the Sangh Parivaar or any other organisation travelled to Srinagar secretly and after unfurling the national flag made loud announcements about it. This way they would not allow separatists and militants a chance to frame a strategy for foiling the tricolour unfurling ceremony.
Secondly, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, by warning he BJP against marching to Lal Chowk for unfurling the tricolour had made the separatists and militants aware of the march. This way Omar Abdullah is left with no other alternative but to prevent the BJYM activists from travelling to Srinagar. Reports indicate that if the marchers travel by road barriers will be set up at a number of places on the highway to take the marchers into custody.
Instructions may be given to the police authorities to ensure that the marchers were not allowed to travel by air to Srinagar either from Jammu or from New Delhi. And the final decision on the Government response to the yatra will be taken within next one week. And if the Government allows the marhers to unfurl the flag at Lal Chowk they would be allowed to travel to Srinagar under police escort. It may be a tussle between the Sangh Parivaar and the state Government over the flag unfurling ceremony. |
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