Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir Congress on Saturday accused the Union Territory administration of not inviting the party’s top leaders to attend official Independence Day functions.
“It is unfortunate that the UT administration did not extend any invitation to the JKPCC leadership, including president G A Mir and other top functionaries in Srinagar and Jammu, for the flag hoisting and at home functions,” party’s chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said in a statement here.
He said a few former ministers and legislators, however, were invited to some functions in their individual capacity.
He said the Congress party held Independence Day celebrations in Srinagar and Jammu party headquarters besides all district and block offices.
“Mir, who was in Verinag area of Anantnag, was not permitted to proceed to Srinagar party headquarters for flag hoisting due to security reasons,” he said, adding the other senior leaders attended the function in Srinagar party office, where Srinagar district president Abdul Gani Khan unfurled the national flag.
Senior vice-president and former minister Raman Bhalla hoisted the national flag outside the party headquarters in Jammu in presence of senior party leaders.
“It is highly unfortunate that no invitations were extended to the senior functionaries of the party in Jammu and Srinagar, as per the past practice of more than seven decades to send invitations to the president and other prominent functionaries through party headquarters, for the Independence Day and Republic Day functions.
“Even the Raj Bhawan used to seek the list of prominent leaders of each political party and other social, cultural and trade organizations for extending invitations for the flag hoisting ceremony and at home functions every year in advance and cards used to be sent to party headquarters well in time or respective residences of senior leaders,” he said.
He said this kind of “serious lapse” for the Independence Day function by the UT administration was most “unfortunate and highly regrettable” which should be looked into by the Lt Governor.
