Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today paid glowing tributes to the martyrs of 1953 Praja Parishad agitation during a function organized by Daljit Singh Chib, ex Vice Chairman, Kissan Board and president Praja Parishad Trust at Jourian in tehsil Khour today.
In a befitting tribute and honour to the martyrs, a Shaheedi Smarak was also unveiled on the occasion in presence of senior BJP leaders including J&K BJP president, Ravinder Raina, Seh Prabhari, BJP Jammu Kashmir, Ashish Sood, former Deputy CMs, Dr Nirmal Singh, Kavinder Gupta, RSS leader, Purshotam Dadhichi, former Minister and State vice president, Sham Lal Sharma, Ex MLA’s Rajiv Sharma and Dr Krishan Bhagat.
It is pertinent to mention here that on January 11, 1953, during the agitation demanding ‘Ek Nishan, Ek Vidhan, Ek Pradhan’, Waryam Singh, Sain Singh, Trilok Singh, Baldev Singh, Nanak Chand, Mela Ram and Basant Ram from erstwhile Akhnoor attained martyrdom by laying down their lives for the greater good of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir.
While paying glowing tributes to the martyrs, BJP president, Ravinder Raina said that the 1953 agitation under the slogan of Ek Vidhan, Ek Nishan, Ek Pradhan was first such historic agitation which brought all the patriotic people under one umbrella and many of them embraced bullets for raising the Tricolour, which was considered a crime by the then ruling party and its allies. He said that it is the result of the sacrifices of our brothers in Akhnoor, Jourian, Hiranagar, Ramban and other areas that the post of Prime Minister in the erstwhile State of J&K was abolished and now under the leadership of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, it has become possible today to fully integrate Jammu & Kashmir with the rest of India.
BJP Seh Prabhari, Jammu & Kashmir Ashish Sood through virtual mode said that the real tribute has been paid to these martyrs by the abrogation of Articles 370 & 35(A) and we believe that their souls are at finally at peace in heaven today. He said “We must remember the sacrifices and convey their tales to future generations too so that the progeny comes to know how Praja Parishad agitation was launched with the mission to achieve true unification of J&K with the rest of nation.”
Ex Deputy CM, Dr Nirmal Singh said during the agitation, the people registered their protest against the separate Constitution, separate flag, separate ‘Sadar-e-Riyasat’ and the Permit System and the mission got accomplished with the Indian Constitution and the Indian Tricolor fully extended to J&K during the BJP Govt’s tenure.
Another ex CM Kavinder Gupta said that the Praja Parishad agitation of 1953 was launched with the slogan ‘Ek Vidhan-Ek Nishan-Ek Pradhan’ to ensure full integration of J&K with the rest of the country.
In his address RSS leader, Purshotam Dadhichi said that it was the Praja Parishad agitation that laid the foundation of a historic movement to remove the separate flag besides having a single Constitution across the nation.
Former Minister and BJP leader, Sham Lal Sharma, said “We must never forget the sacrifices of these martyrs that transformed the Praja Parishad agitation into a massive movement that ultimately led to achieving the goal finally with abrogation of Article 370 after which the J&K has been witnessing unprecedented development on all fronts”.

Courtesy: Daily Excelsior: 31st Jan , 2022