Jammu/Srinagar: The BJP on Monday celebrated the 79th anniversary of Jammu and Kashmir’s accession to the Union of India, paying tribute to J&K’s last king, Maharaja Hari Singh.
The Maharaja signed the instrument of accession on October 26, 1947, which brought the erstwhile princely state into the Indian Union.
Addressing a gathering at the party headquarters in Trikuta Nagar, Jammu, BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Sat Sharma said the accession was a defining moment in the nation’s and Jammu and Kashmir’s history, asserting that the region’s unity and integrity were non-negotiable.
He said October 26 was not merely a date on the calendar but the foundation of Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional and emotional bond with India. Sharma said the Maharaja’s historic decision had secured the state’s future within the Indian Union.
The BJP leader said every citizen should remember the day with pride and reiterated the BJP’s commitment to peace, development, and the dignity of every region and community in Jammu and Kashmir. He also paid tribute to soldiers, security personnel, and civilians who sacrificed their lives to defend the country’s unity and territorial integrity.
Leader of Opposition in the J&K Assembly Sunil Sharma said the accession was complete, final and irrevocable. He said the sacrifices of armed forces personnel and people who stood firm against challenges strengthened the resolve to protect India’s unity. He also stressed the need to familiarise younger generations with the Maharaja’s contribution.
MP Jugal Kishore Sharma called upon party workers to take the message of national unity to every village and ward and ensure that the benefits of development reached the last person in society.
MLA Vikram Randhawa urged people to observe the day with enthusiasm and familiarise young people with Jammu and Kashmir’s history and its place in the Indian Union.
Sat Sharma, Sunil Sharma, Jugal Kishore Sharma, BJP vice-president Rekha Mahajan, general secretary Baldev Singh Billawaria, and other party leaders paid floral tributes at the Maharaja’s statue.
In Srinagar, BJP leaders and workers assembled at the party office and distributed sweets to celebrate the decision taken by Maharaja Hari Singh to accede to the Indian Union.
“It is a historic day that we celebrate. The Maharaja was a great visionary, as he felt the people of Jammu and Kashmir would have a secure future in the Union of India,” BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur said.
He said the Maharaja rejected the two-nation theory and acceded to India.
“There were some elements who tried to impose the two-nation theory but failed,” he added.
