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| Lal Chowk's clock tower loses its sheen | | | JAMMU: For the first time in the past two decades, the clock tower at the historic Lal Chowk in the summer capital has lost its sheen. Nobody tried to hoist a flag atop the tower this year. For Kashmir watchers it reflects the changing mood of Kashmiris. The tower, it may be mentioned has remained the centre stage of Kashmir politics since eruption of militancy in 1989.
Both separatists and mainstream politicians have demonstrated their strength by assembling or by `conquering' the area. While the government seems, desperate to keep the clock tower `out of bounds' especially for the separatists, the curbs imposed to ensure its `protection' subjected the commoner to inconvenience.
Pertinent to mention, the clock tower has no historical importance. It came up in early 80s and became politically important in 1992 when the then BJP president, Murli Manohar Joshi hoisted the tricolor on the tower. He started his yatra from a distant state in India and ended it at Lal Chowk.
Joshi had to hoist the Tricolor in haste as a rocket fired by militants barely missed the tower. Joshi thought he did country a favour. But, according to a senior police officer, he did a favour to militants. "They were involved in group clashes but Joshi's yatra was seen as an attack on Kashmir. It united the militants", he said.
Last year on Eid-ul-Fitr, a procession led by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq ended at Lal Chowk. Hundreds of flags were hoisted on all sides of the tower. The cement fencing that had been put in place to beautify the tower gave way. The government has now installed steel fencing to give the much needed strength to the tower.
Since 2008, the separatists tried several times to `conquer' the tower. Every time the authorities clamped curfew to foil their move. The authorities even used barbed wire to keep the agitated youth away from the tower. |
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