Miscellaneous - This Day That Age   

dated January 20, 1957: Republic Day in Kashmir

Bakshi Abdul Rashid, General Secretary of Kashmir's ruling party, the National Conference, announced in Jammu on January 19 that unprecedented celebrations would be organised on the Republic Day this year in the State "to demonstrate Kashmir's irrevocable union with India." He added that on this day the State's new Constitution would also come into force, "which will enable us to free lakhs of Kashmiris from bondage on the other side of the ceasefire line." Mr. Abdulgani Goni, till recently Vice-President of the Plebiscite Front, who has now joined the National Conference, said in a statement: "Feroz Khan Noon's (Pakistan Foreign Minister) outbursts in the Security Council cannot deceive persons who know the full facts." Mr. Goni asserted that Kashmir was already an integral part of India and Sheikh Abdullah himself had laid the foundations of Indo-Kashmir relationship. The Kashmiris were as determined as ever to resist foreign intervention, said Mr. Goni, adding that Pakistan's anxiety to welcome foreign troops "lets the cat out of the bag as to their real motives."

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Cartoonscape
The Hindu Crossword No. 8815
Solution to Puzzle No. 8814
Boundless compassion
dated January 20, 1957: Republic Day in Kashmir
dated January 20, 1957: Military pacts must go
Weather

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu