Srinagar Adorned in a Festive Look
Hotels Fully Booked in the City as a Sea of People Anticipate PM’s Arrival 12 Hours in Advance
Suhail Khan
Srinagar, Mar 06 : The summer capital city of Srinagar has a festive look as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address a mega rally.
The Kashmir Despatch team visited the city to gather firsthand information about the overall situation, the joy of the people, and the excitement related to PM Modi’s first visit to Kashmir after the major decision of the Abrogation of Article 370.
The Lotus Weave has bloomed before the Lok Sabha elections, with every corner of the city covered with BJP flags and hoardings.
Welcome gates, buntings, hoardings, and flags have been put up throughout the city to give it a festive look. Roads, lanes, and streets have been cleaned and sanitized to ensure that everything is in shipshape when PM Modi arrives here.
Approximately 300 hoardings have been set up across the city, and around 10,000 flags have also been placed in the summer capital city of Srinagar.
The city is in a festive mood, with people from different districts of Kashmir having already arrived to catch a glimpse of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Subhana, a resident of Kupwara, told Kashmir Despatch, “I am here along with thousands of people from my district because I can’t wait to hear from my PM, especially in my beloved Kashmir.”
He added, “I have been counting the days for the past week and I am eagerly waiting for the moment which still fills me with excitement to see my leader, my hero, Narendra Modiji.”
Khan Wat, a young and energetic BJP worker from Sopore town in north Kashmir, told Kashmir Despatch, “It took us almost an hour to find a vacant hotel room in the city because a sea of people had already entered. This shows the love we have for our Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
He said, “I can’t even express in words the excitement I have for my superhero Narendra Modi.”
The young and aspiring BJP leader said, “The Lotus Weave has become a reality now because people have realized what they had lost being in the dark. Our dynamic leader Modiji has proven through his dedication that the development and peaceful environment witnessed by the whole of Kashmir is a result of his efforts.”
Aqib, another young and handsome youth from the hills of the southern region of Kashmir, shared his thoughts with Kashmir Despatch, stating, “It feels like a festival in Kashmir because our inspirational leader is coming to address us.”
He said, “What could be better than seeing and catching a glimpse of our favorite personality in person?”
Aqib emphasized that Modiji has saved the younger generation from the darkness and has shown them a path towards success and brightness.
He said, “The youth were always misled and misguided. In fact, if we look back at the past, we lost thousands of our brothers to violence. It is Modiji who has completely changed the scenario in Kashmir. It has been four peaceful years without any shutdown calls, stone pelting, or innocent civilian killings.”
Ghulam Hassan, a shopkeeper, expressed his views during a conversation with Kashmir Despatch, stating, “Modiji is a game changer for us.”
He remarked, “In the past, we used to shut our shops for months, but now, not a single minute goes by without business hours. This is all thanks to this leader who has made real changes on the ground, unlike our so-called leaders who have only brought us fake hopes and claims for decades.”
Hilal Ahmad, a local resident of Srinagar city, told Kashmir Despatch, “For the past four years, people have eagerly awaited this day to have the PM here in Kashmir. Finally, the day has come and people, especially in the Gujjar and Pahari communities, are incredibly happy and excited.”
He added, “Who wouldn’t be happy with a Prime Minister whose work has already shown results? He has fulfilled his commitments through initiatives like Naya Kashmir, which has brought peace to the region.”
He said, “For 70 years, the Pahari and Gujjar communities have suffered, and it is only Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has given them their rightful status.”
He mentioned that this time, the entry is open, and around 2 lakh people are expected to participate in the mega rally.
Taking to Kashmir Despatch BJP National Executive Member, Party’s J&K Core Group Member, and Chairperson of Jammu & Kashmir Waqf Board, Dr Syed Darakhshan Andrabi, said that people are excited to see Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Thousands of people have already arrived in the city and more are expected to come before the scheduled time of the rally.
She mentioned that this is the first time people are so happy to participate in such events. In the past 30 years, there were always shutdown calls whenever a Prime Minister visited Kashmir. However, after the abrogation of Article 370, this is a new Kashmir.
She added that this is the first time in the past four years that Prime Minister Modi is visiting Kashmir. Everyone is eagerly waiting for his arrival, and every corner has been decorated to give him a heartfelt welcome.
She expressed that the excitement is indescribable, and there are issues with accommodating everyone because more people are expected to come than initially anticipated.
She stated that it feels like a festival, and everyone is allowed to breathe freely because it’s the Modi Sarkar and the Modi Wave in Kashmir now.
She mentioned that there could be no better gift for the people of Kashmir, as they are already prospering and living in peace, all thanks to our Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Jammu and Kashmir Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) President Ravinder Raina said on Wednesday that people in Kashmir by heart love our prime minister Narendra Modi and are eagerly waiting to have his glimpse.
BJP leader said all arrangements have been set in place for the mega rally.
He said people across the Velley are eagerly waiting to have a glimpse and to listen to PM.
He said from Karnah to Uri to Machil to Shopian, people are participating in the rally and are eagerly waiting to be heartily welcomed by the PM.
He again made the statement that around 2 lakh people are participating in the rally.
Dr. Shehnaz Ganie, who hails from Poonch, recently joined BJP, told Kashmir Despatch that the enthusiasm among the young, old, and women is high as they are excited to participate in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Srinagar.
She said, “I am receiving a lot of calls from people who are eagerly waiting to participate in the rally and listen to our beloved leader, Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
She said that just like people across India, the people in Kashmir also have the same love and admiration for the Prime Minister due to his commendable work in taking Kashmir towards new heights of peace, prosperity, and development.
She further emphasized that after the abrogation of Article 370, Kashmir has experienced a new era of peace under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
She highlighted how Modi Ji has transformed the lives of people in Kashmir, especially in the border areas, bringing them from darkness to light.
The last time the PM visited was on February 3, 2019, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. In November 2015, the Prime Minister addressed a public meeting at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium.
Suhail Khan is a filmmaker, content writer, and freelance journalist.
