Srinagar: Businessman-turned-political activist Sandeep Mawa on Wednesday affixed two national flags on the gate of the Hurriyat Conference office in the Rajbagh area here.
Accompanied by just one person and a two-member crew of a private TV channel, Mawa fixed the national flags on the main gate of the office of the Hurriyat Conference, an amalgam of various separatist parties in Kashmir.
The Hurriyat office has been mostly closed since the abrogation of Article 370 on August 05, 2019.
“I wanted to send a message to separatists that they will be brought into the national mainstream — either by their will or by force,” Mawa was quoted as saying by PTI.
He said there was a “misconception” that the people of Kashmir support another country or want independence.
“This (flag hoisting) has proved that people of Kashmir are with India,” Mawa added.
In response to a question, he said the flag hoisting was optional for only residential houses.
“All government buildings have to hoist the flag as part of Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav,” he added.
Mawa’s salesman was killed by militants in Srinagar last year.
Mawa, a Kashmiri Pandit, had then claimed that he escaped the attack as he left his shop early due to a prior intelligence input. (With PTI inputs)
