SRINAGAR: In Kashmir, which is witnessing snowfall this year, the ministers were absent from Republic Day functions and the bureaucrats performed the flag-hoisting at the parades.
The R-Day functions passed off peacefully with no untoward incident reported from anywhere in the Valley.
The main R-Day function in the Valley was held at Bakshi Stadium, Srinagar under think security blanket. There was three layer of security cover around the stadium to foil any attempts by militants to carry out attacks and disturb the function.
Kashmir’s divisional commissioner Baseer Ahmad Khan hoisted the tri-colour and took salute on the march past by contingent of police, CRPF, ITBP, BSF, CRPF, Lady Police Force , Fire and Emergency Services, Forest Protection Force, NCC cadets and students.
In the absence of ministers of PDP-BJP coalition government headed by Mehbooba Mufti was in the Valley, the divisional commissioner hoisted the tri-colour .
Usually, senior minister of the State government presides over the function at Bakshi stadium in Srinagar on R-Day and other ministers unfurl the tri-colour in district headquarters of other 9 districts in the Valley.
Due to heavy snowfall, air traffic to Srinagar and vehicular movement on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, only road link connecting Kashmir with rest of the country, has remained suspended for last three days.
It was for the first time that none of the minister of the elected government in the State has attended the R-Day function in the Valley.
BJP chief spokesman Sunil Sethi confirmed that none of the ministers attended the R-Day function in the Valley.
“The government is in Jammu and all ministers are camping in Jammu. From last three days, no flight could land in Srinagar airport and it was also not possible to travel on Srinagar-Jammu highway because it has been closed for vehicular traffic due to heavy snowfall,” he said.
Sethi said nobody in the government anticipated that the problem will go to such level that no flights will land in Srinagar and Srinagar-Jammu highway would also be closed.
He, however, said at least one or two ministers should remain in Srinagar in the winters. “It is not good that at any given time we do not have any minister there in the Valley”.
Sethi said BJP do feel that when January 26 was coming, the government should have made advance arrangements by keeping one or two ministers in the Valley.
“It would have ensured that at least the main function at Bakshi Stadium Srinagar should have been held in presence of the minister,” he added.
An official said all R-Day functions in different districts of the Valley passed off peacefully.
For a change, the authorities did not suspend mobile phone and mobile internet service during R-Day functions in the Valley.
As part of security drill, authorities had been suspending mobile phone and mobile internet services during R-Day and Independence Day functions in the Valley for years. The services are restored only after conclusion of the official functions.