National Conference president and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah on Sunday said people’s aspirations should be respected and statehood restored to Jammu and Kashmir.
“It is an auspicious day. India is a republic. We hope that the Constitution will be protected and the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir respected and Statehood should be restored,” Abdullah told reporters at Bakshi Stadium where Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary unfurled the tricolor and took salute from the march past.
Tight security arrangements were made at Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar, where a security ring was formed around the main venue with attendees being checked for their security passes issued by the Jammu and Kashmir Police's Security Wing before being cleared by its intelligence wing.