J&K’s Accession to India irrevocable: Ajatshatru
Former Cabinet Minister and Member Legislative Council, M K Ajatshatru Singh today said that J&K’s accession to India is irrevocable and the whole world must know this fact.
M K Ajatshatru Singh was speaking on the occasion of Accession Day celebrations at London. The 69th anniversary of the signing of the Instrument of Accession by the last Maharaja of the state Maharaja Hari Singh on 26th October 1947 was celebrated here in the British Parliament houses.
Maharaja Hari Singh was a great nationalist and was known for his secular credentials and Acceded to India for keeping his secular state with a secular India, he opined. He further said that unfortunately Maharaja Hari Singh was not given a fair deal by the historians of those times and the new generation must work towards rectifying the history so that the man who signed J&K’s accession with India gets his rightful place in the history. He also recalled the great sacrifices made by his forefathers and their Dogra warriors in establishing the state of Jammu & Kashmir. He also remembered the Saviour of Kashmir, Brigadier Rajinder Singh for his great sacrifice on 26th October, 1947 when he laid down his life for saving Kashmir from the invaders from Pakistan.
He expressed hope that under the dynamic Prime Minister Sh. Narinder Modi and his team the state of Jammu & Kashmir will progress leaps and bounds. He also spoke at length about the need for an aggressive policy on Kashmir Issue by educating the world community about the false propaganda being pushed by Pakistan and its agencies. Majority of the people of the state are peace-loving and they will ultimately defeat the separatist tendencies in the state, he said.
Ajatshatru, while lauding the efforts made by the organizers of the festival, implored upon them to make this festival an annual feature so that people from Jammu & Kashmir and those from the POJK are able to come together to share their joys and sorrows. He asserted that the ‘Kashmir Issue’ that Pakistan is trying to market is just a bogey call while the real issue is the liberation of POJK from the illegal occupation of the Pakistan.
He expressed his gratitude to the organizers and public for showering their blessings and love for him and his family members. He said that being grandson of Maharaja Hari Singh he owes a lot to the people of the state and would work tirelessly for the public welfare. Ajatshatru Singh was accompanied by his wife Kumwarani Ritu Singh and son Rajkumar Ranvijay Singh.
Today’s function was a culmination of the six day extravaganza of JK Festival that showcased various aspects of Jammu and Kashmir to the Londoners. The six day festival included various exhibitions at the Visual Arts Gallery at Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan, West Kingston, performances by artists of Natrang Music and Dance group headed by Balwant Thakur, lecture-cum-demonstrations by various artists, serving of Jammu & Kashmir’s rich cuisine, etc. National Army Museum in association with Jammu Kashmir Festival also presented the Dogra Martial Arts Museum showcase.
Confederation of Indian Industries in association with the Jammu Kashmir Festival also organized a round table conference on the topic “Business Potential and emerging Opportunities in the State of Jammu & Kashmir”.
He thanked British Parliamentarian Honourable Bob Blackman, the Jammu Kashmir Festival team led by Lakshmi Koul, Manu Khajuria, Lalit Sharma, and all those who made the program a grand success. He also expressed his gratitude to the British Parliamentarians and distinguished guests who participated in the proceedings.
