REPUBLIC DAY IN SRINAGAR

It's clear: Anyone in Srinagar on or around 26 January 2008 should avoid market areas, parades, demonstrations, and stadiums. Keep your eyes and ears open, and your head low. Best wishes to all concerned - Power to the Peaceful!

"While elsewhere in the country people are eager to celebrate Republic Day, the same brings miseries and sufferings to the Kashmir valley people. In run-up to the occasion, life was badly hit in this turbulent valley. People were desperate to see this day through. Given the extraordinary importance associated with it, the militants and security forces were hell-bent on upstaging each other. The militants in the valley are on their toes to disrupt the celebrations and demonstrate to the world that they are against it. And at the same time, Indian security forces as usual struggle to conduct smoothly the Republic Day to show to the international community that Kashmiris are part of it. And in the process ordinary people bore the brunt." Amin Masoodi for IPCS, 4 February 2004.

Terrorists Plan to Strike Before Republic Day - DNA, 3 January 2008.
Sporadic Violence as India Marks Republic Day - Reuters, 26 January 2007.
India Marks Republic Day Amid Heavy Security - IHT, 26 January 2007.
Police Killed in Attacks Before Republic Day - ABC, 24 January 2007.
Grenade Attacks on Kashmir Police - AJ, 22 January 2007.
Srinagar Wears Deserted Look - Tribune, 26 January 2006.
Separatists Call for Strike on Republic Day - Tribune, 24 January 2006.
Kashmir to Observe Republic Day as "Black Day" - PT, 25 January 2004.
India Tells of Foiling Uprising in Kashmir - NYT, 29 January 1990.
New Delhi Tells Residents of Srinagar to Stay Indoors - NYT, 27 January 1990.
For more opinion read the post "Republic Day of India", Zarafshan, 22 January 2007.
Photo credit: MHIP