BJP to observe Accession Day in big way

As Kashmir-centric parties repeatedly question accession of J&K with the Union of India, the ruling BJP has decided to observe Accession Day in a big way. All party ministers have been directed by the state unit to mark their presence in the function which would be held in Jammu on Thursday.
The BJP has reason to make the Accession Day function a grand event because party ministers have failed to convince its coalition partner to declare an official holiday on October 26 — the day when J&K acceded with the Indian union.
In 2015, after becoming part of the government, the BJP had demanded declaration of October 26 as a gazetted holiday but it was not accepted by its coalition partner, PDP.
On October 26, 1947, the then ruler of the state, Maharaja Hari Singh, had signed the Instrument of Accession to make Jammu and Kashmir a part of India.
The proposal to declare October 26 as a gazetted holiday was made early by the BJP. “We want to celebrate it as Accession Day every year. The day should be commemorated like other national holidays. The date bears great significance for all nationalist people,” a senior BJP leader said.
Highly placed sources in the BJP said the party leadership was determined to mobilise maximum number of people for Thursday’s event to show its strength not only to its opponent but also to the coalition partner.
“All ministers and legislators of Jammu district have been directed to bring people from their respective constituencies to make the function successful,” a source said.