JAMMU, Aug 17: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference celebrated the 80th Independence Day with great enthusiasm, patriotic fervour and a spirit of unity at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhawan, Jammu.
On the occasion, Ajay Kumar Sadhotra, former Minister and Additional General Secretary; Rattan Lal Gupta, Provincial President, J&K National Conference; and Babu Rampal, former Minister and Central Zone President, hoisted the National Flag in the presence of Arjun Singh Raju, MLA Ramban; Ch. Khursheed Ahmed, MLA Mahore; Sheikh Bashir Ahmad, Provincial Secretary Jammu; Bimla Luthra, former MLA; Vijay Lochan, Chairman SC Cell; Abdul Gani Teli, Chairman OBC Cell; Rakesh Singh Raka, Vice President Central Zone, and other party functionaries and workers.
Speaking on the occasion, Ajay Kumar Sadhotra greeted the people on Independence Day and paid rich tributes to the great leaders and freedom fighters whose sacrifices and struggles secured India’s freedom. He reiterated that the party would continue to work for safeguarding the land and employment rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and ensuring that their aspirations and interests remain protected.
Addressing the gathering, Rattan Lal Gupta extended warm greetings to the people on the auspicious occasion and called upon everyone to work towards strengthening the bonds of amity, peace and tranquillity that have long been the hallmark of Jammu and Kashmir’s glorious pluralistic ethos. He stressed the need to preserve and promote the country’s secular ethos, stating that “unity in diversity is the biggest strength of the nation.”
Gupta said that the J&K National Conference remains firmly committed to the principles of Jamhooriyat (democracy), secularism and socialism, which constitute the guiding principles of the party’s vision for an inclusive and equitable society.
Babu Rampal, former Minister and Central Zone President, highlighted the immense contributions and sacrifices of the great leaders who fought for India’s independence after a long and arduous struggle. He paid tribute to freedom fighters including Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Chandrashekhar Azad and Subhas Chandra Bose, among countless others, for their supreme sacrifices in the struggle against British rule and their contributions towards the betterment of the nation and its people.
“As we celebrate our nation’s independence, the J&K National Conference stands firm in its commitment to fight for the aspirations and rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The party pledges to continue working towards a more prosperous, united and harmonious India,” Rampal said.
The celebrations concluded with renewed pledges to uphold the unity, integrity, secular fabric and democratic values of the nation.
Among those present on the occasion were Qazi Jalal Ud Din, Dr. Chaman Lal Bhagat, Mohd Iqbal Bhat, Rajni Devi, Harshvardhan, Pardeep Bali,Ayub Malik, Laxmi Datta, Chander Mohan Sharma,Subash Bhagat,Naresh Bittu, Rita Gupta, S. Gurnam Singh, Shama Akthar Ashok Dogra, Sahil Kerni, and others.