Amit Shah lays foundation stone of martyrs’ memorial in Srinagar
This was Shah’s first visit to the iconic Lal Chowk area which has witnessed a tumultuous modern history; accompanied by lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha, the Union home minister laid the foundation of “Balidaan Stambh” at Pratap Park near the Lal Chowk city centre in Srinagar
Union home minister Amit Shah concluded his two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir by laying the foundation stone of “Balidaan Stambh”, a martyr’s memorial, commemorating fallen jawans of security forces, at Pratap Park near the Lal Chowk city centre in Srinagar on Friday.
This was Shah’s first visit to the iconic Lal Chowk area which has witnessed a tumultuous modern history, including the visit of the then Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru in 1948 when he had promised a referendum to the people.
In 1992 when militancy was at its peak, Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) then president Murli Manohar Joshi had unfurled the tri-color atop the Clock Tower at Lal Chowk amid heavy security. Between 2008 and 2010 when Kashmir was rocked by recurrent protests, there were a few occasions when the Pakistan flag was raised atop the tower. And more recently, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi concluded his Bharat Jodo Yatra by saluting the National Flag at Lal Chowk.
Shah’s cavalcade stopped outside Pratap Park, locally called Parta Park, a few blocks away from the Clock Tower at Lal Chowk to lay the foundation stone of a memorial. Accompanied by lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha, Shah laid the foundation to commemorate the lives laid down by security forces for the security of the nation at the park.
The memorial is being constructed as part of the smart city project and will occupy a part of the park which has been a go to place for anyone intending to take a break from the fast-paced life of Lal Chowk. The park has also been a go-to place for those intending to hold protests against the government in the nearby Press Enclave. Till 2019, the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons would hold its monthly protests in the park.
Amid the heavy security cover, Shah stopped for a few minutes at the place before heading back.
“Jammu and Kashmir has been the land of indomitable courage and bravery of the country’s brave hearts. In order to make the valour of such heroes immortal, the foundation stone of ‘Balidan Stambh’ was laid at Pratap Park in Srinagar today. This pillar will inspire patriotism among the youth by immortalising the memory of the martyrs,” Shah said in a tweet.
Shah presents job letters to kin of policemen killed in action
The home minister met the families of some of the police personnel in Srinagar, who lost their lives in the conflict in J&K and presented appointment letters to their kin.
“The martyrdom of numerous jawans of the J&K Police who laid down their lives battling terrorists and securing innocent fellow citizens is a testament to what Kashmir, and its people stand for. Today, met the family members of such martyrs in Srinagar and distributed appointment letters on behalf of the J&K government to the closest kin of the martyrs,” he said.
Shah reviews Amarnath yatra preparation
Earlier, in the morning Shah visited Baltal base camp to review the preparations for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra. The two-month long yatra will commence from July 1 amid high security arrangements.
On Friday night, Shah chaired a security review meeting attended by admin, police, army and other security officials. Officials said the home minister was satisfied with the improvement in the situation, intensified operations against militants and a decrease in militant recruitment. They said that he also reiterated for enhanced action against those supporting militancy. “Glad to see the agencies adopting a multi-pronged approach to ensuring security. Continued peace and stability in Jammu and Kashmir is one of the prime goals set by PM Modi,” Shah said in a tweet.
The union home minister on Friday had made an appeal to the youth of Kashmir Valley to pick up pens and laptops instead of stones to write the script of development of Jammu and Kashmir and the country.
Addressing an event at the Raj Bhavan during his two-day visit to the UT, Shah also had highlighted the all-round development in the region since 2019, when the Union government abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, which accorded special status to the erstwhile state.
Shah had also inaugurated the three-day Vitasta Festival at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) located on the bank of the Dal Lake, celebrating the diverse culture of Kashmir established around the river Jhelum.
