Srinagar, In a move that critics say aims to demonstrate support for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), local authorities have directed over 7,000 employees from various departments to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally at Srinagar’s Bakshi Stadium. The rally, scheduled for Thursday, is part of a larger effort by the Indian government to showcase solidarity and support within the region.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the directive encompasses employees from 13 different departments, including education, sports, agriculture, social welfare, and rural development, among others. The Food Safety department has been specifically tasked to ensure that representatives from 62 bakery shops across the city are present at the event. These employees hail from various districts in the Valley, and private schools in Srinagar have been ordered to use their buses to transport them to the venue.
An official circular quoted by Indian daily The Hindu outlined the logistics of the transportation plan, emphasizing the importance of adhering to security measures for the event. Reports indicate that Indian agencies have been instructed to conduct background checks on the employees mandated to attend the rally, looking for any connections to the freedom movement in the region.
The Telegraph reported the preparation of two lists by the authorities: one detailing the names of 7,000 government employees, including college professors, with a corresponding transport plan for the VVIP visit, and another listing 221 nodal officers tasked with ensuring the attendees’ presence at the rally. Employees found their names on these lists, which have been circulated among the workforce, expressing confusion and concern over the nature of their involvement. An anonymous employee from the agriculture department shared with the newspaper the instructions to report to designated pick-up points early in the morning, without clear guidance on their role at the event.
This directive from the IIOJK administration highlights the continued efforts to assert control and display a semblance of normalcy and support for the Indian government’s policies in the region amid ongoing tensions and calls for self-determination.