Quality education, healthcare, equal opportunities for youth essential to J&K’s progress: L-G Manoj Sinha
Jammu/Srinagar: The main 77th Republic Day event in J&K on Monday was held at the Maulana Azad Stadium in Jammu, where the Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha, unfurled the National Flag and took salute at the parade.
The L-G paid tribute to freedom fighters and the architects of the country’s Constitution.
He highlighted their vision, courage and sacrifice to shape the India of our dreams.
The L-G commended the Armed Forces, paramilitary forces and Jammu and Kashmir Police for their unwavering vigilance, courage, and sacrifice, ensuring peace and security in the region.
He said, “Our security forces have shown unwavering commitment and given sacrifices to protect our freedom”.
The L-G emphasised the need to guide J&K towards greater heights of development and prosperity, accelerating economic progress, and creating robust infrastructure.
For the overall progress of J&K, he said, ensuring fair access to quality education, healthcare, and equal opportunities for youth, including women, to realise their full potential are the essentials.
The L-G took salute at an impressive parade in which smartly turned-out contingents of the Army, CAPFs, J&K Police, J&K Armed Police, fire and emergency services, NCC and schoolchildren took part.
The parade was followed by cultural programmes and drills by schoolchildren.
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, judges of the high court, ministers, the chief secretary and other senior civil and police officers attended the function in addition to a large number of civilians.
In the Valley, the Deputy Chief Minister, Surinder Choudhary, hoisted the national flag and took the salute at the parade at Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar.
Choudhary paid tribute to the tourists killed by terrorists in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025. He said Pakistan has always harmed “our peace and tried to derail our tourist industry”. He said the country gave a befitting reply to Pakistan through Operation Sindoor.
He appealed to tourists to visit J&K in large numbers. He paid tribute to the architect of India’s Constitution, Babasaheb B.R. Ambedkar, but selectively praised only Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, Maulana Mohammad Syed Masoodi and Mirza Afzal Beg for ‘their help in shaping the constitution of J&K’.
He paid tribute to the J&K Police and the security forces for laying down their lives to protect the freedom of the country.
Similar functions and parades were held at all the district headquarters of J&K, where ceremonial flag unfurling, parades and cultural programmes were held.
All the official functions in Srinagar, Jammu and other districts passed off peacefully.