'J&K's people connected to sense of national spirit during partition': L-G Sinha on I-Day

Jammu and Kashmir's new Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha hoisted the National Flag in Srinagar on the occasion of India's 74th Independence Day. Talking to reporters he said that people responsible for partition had also attempted to create divisions on the basis of religion. Sinha asserted that people in Jammu and Kashmir "always dismissed their ideology."

'People of J&K connected themselves...'

"Rejecting the religious frenzy at the time of partition, people of J&K connected themselves to the sense of national spirit," he said.

Manoj Sinha on Wednesday said that the government's aim is to give pace to the development of Jammu and Kashmir without any discrimination. "The development of Jammu and Kashmir should be lent pace without any discrimination and this is one of our commitments. This has been reiterated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Our aim is not to do politics but it is to integrate the soul of Jammu and Kashmir with the country," Sinha said.

Stating that democracy has strengthened in Jammu and Kashmir, he said: "I expect that the Central government would take a decision regarding the three-tier Panchayati Raj structure soon. Transparency in governance is expected. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee talked of 'jamhooriyat, insaniyat and Kashmiriyat. The entire country is looking at Jammu and Kashmir with hope," he said.

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'Delimitation process underway in J&K'

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the 'delimitation process' is underway in Jammu and Kashmir and added that polls will be conducted soon in the Union Territory.

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"Delimitation process is underway in Jammu and Kashmir. Once it is completed, an election will be held in the Union Territory. Jammu and Kashmir will have its own chief minister and ministers. We are committed to this," he said while delivering his seventh consecutive Independence Day speech from the iconic Red Fort.

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"This one year is a year of the new journey of development for Jammu and Kashmir. This one year is the year of the rights received by the women and the Dalits in Jammu and Kashmir. This one year is also the year of a life of dignity for the refugees in Jammu and Kashmir," the PM Modi said.

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(With agency inputs)