Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti inspecting the guard of honour after the unfurling the national flag at Bakhshi Stadium on the occasion of 71st Independence Day in Srinagar on Tuesday. (PTI Photo)
At the Independence Day function held in Srinagar, most people in the general stands remain seated when the national anthem was played soon after Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti unfurled the tricolour, news agency PTI reported. However, people sitting in the VIP enclosure that included high court judges, MLAs, MLCs, bureaucrats and office bearers of political parties stood up to pay their respects to the national anthem. The Chief Minister was then given the guard of honour.
Bakshi Stadium, where the celebration was held has a capacity of 18,000 people. However, only 3,000 people turned up for the event. The empty stands at the stadium came as a shock to the Uttar Pradesh Police contingent which was taking part in the celebrations for the first time in Kashmir.
UP Police contingent leader Deputy Superintendent of Police Sheodan Singh while expressing his disappointment at such a small gathering said, “In our state, Independence Day is celebrated like a festival.”
