BJP’s Tarun Chugh leads Tiranga Yatra in Srinagar; hits out at Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India] August 13 (ANI): BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh on Sunday took out a ‘Tiranga Yatra’ in Srinagar, as part of the ‘Meri Mitti, Mera Desh’ campaign.

Hundreds of people joined the Yatra chanting “Vande Mataram” and “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”.

Local BJP leaders, too, joined the march, which spanned over 5 km in the city.

Speaking to media persons in Srinagar, Chugh, who is also the BJP’s in-charge for Jammu and Kashmir, came down heavily on former Jammu & Kashmir chief minister and National Conference (NC) patriarch, Farooq Abdullah, over his suggestion in Parliament that India resume bilateral talks with Pakistan to resolve all bilateral issues and restore peace in the Valley.

Chugh said the government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, would prefer talking to the people (of Jammu & Kashmir), instead, to resolve all problems.

“Abdullah-ji should stop looking at Pakistan when it comes to finding solutions for local problems,” Chugh said. 

The NC stalwart said that dialogue (with Pakistan) is the only way to resolve all issues pertaining to Jammu & Kashmir. 

Invoking the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict in the context of issues plaguing the Valley, Abdullah senior said war brings only death and destruction.

Chugh also lashed out at former CM and Peoples Democratic Party chief, Mehbooba Mufti, over her remark that nobody in Jammu & Kashmir holds the national flag.

“Today, thousands of participants in this march are proudly carrying the Tiranga (tricolour). One can only hope that she will see the transformation taking place in Jammu & Kashmir,” the BJP leader said. 

“Jammu & Kashmir is no more the terror capital of the country. It is the tourism capital where locals are looking for progress and development,” he added.

Earlier, on Saturday, Chugh had blamed the atrocities on the Kashmiri Pandits since 1989 on these two regional parties.

Under the ‘Meri Mati Mera Desh’ campaign, which kicked off on August 9 and will culminate on August 30, citizens are being encouraged to take the ‘Panch Pran’ (five pledges) at gram panchayats in local schools and villages, and sing the national anthem by the Tricolour.

Public awareness rallies and special tree plantation campaigns and also being organised under this initiative.