Jammu, Sept 23: With people from all corners, leaders and civil society groups honouring the legacy while intensifying calls for restoring statehood to the Union Territory, the 130th birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh, the last Dogra ruler of Jammu and Kashmir was celebrated on Tuesday in Jammu with zeal and zest. The legacy of last Dogra ruler continues to inspire the people of J&K.
Tributes highlighted the Maharaja’s reforms and pivotal role in J&K’s accession to India, but the occasion also fuelled discussions on the region’s UT status, in place since the 2019 revocation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into J&K and Ladakh UTs.
The day, declared a public holiday in 2022 after advocacy by the Jammu-based Yuva Rajput Sabha (YRS), saw a massive motor rally from Talab Tillo to Tawi bridge, where a YRS leader, garlanding the Maharaja’s statue, vowed to reclaim the “honour, pride, and glory” of his state.
“We have managed to get the public holiday on the birth anniversary of our Maharaja and we will also reclaim the honour, pride and glory of his state,” a leader of the YRS said after garlanding the statue of the Dogra ruler near Tawi bridge.
Maharaja’s grandson and former minister Ajat Shatru Singh and leaders of various political parties also joined the rally which went through various areas of the city. The participants, wearing traditional dresses and brandishing swords, chanted slogans in praise of the Maharaja and the country.
“We want the centre to restore the statehood and honour the Dogra turban and sword,” the leader said, threatening large-scale agitation if the statehood was further delayed.
On October 26, 1947, Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession with India to repulse an attack by Pakistan army-backed tribals on Jammu and Kashmir.
Trustee of Dharmarth Trust, founded by Maharaja Gulab Singh in 1846, celebrated the birth anniversary by distributing a 130 kg Laddoo.
J-K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha said “tributes to Maharaja Hari Singh Ji on his Janm-Jayanti. A statesman of excellence and harbinger of change, he introduced landmark reforms to ensure welfare of the common man.
“His legacy of inclusive governance, progressive vision and contributions to the motherland continues to inspire us,” he said in a post on X.
Besides social organisations, leaders and workers of different political parties including Congress and BJP separately celebrated the Maharaja’s birthday and paid rich tributes to him.
Taking a pledge to intensify its movement for restoration of statehood, J-K Congress working president Raman Bhalla said the Maharaja brought landmark legislations to protect the land, jobs and natural resources of J-K being a hilly tourist state and enacted state subject laws which showed his far sightedness.
“Maharaja’s state was disbanded, divided and downgraded removing all safeguards for land, jobs and natural resources by the BJP government. It amounts to insulting the last Dogra ruler for which BJP should apologize to Maharaja and people of his state especially Dogras,” he said.
BJP also celebrated the birth anniversary of the Maharaja at the party headquarters here.
“We are an inseparable and proud part of the great Indian nation due to his vision and courage,” J-K BJP president Sat Sharma said, highlighting his contribution.
