Modi regime mandates employee attendance at Republic Day celebrations
Jammu: In a move aimed at bolstering the appearance of normalcy and compliance with India’s national celebrations, the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha administration, run directly by New Delhi, has issued directives compelling its employees to attend the Republic Day celebrations on January 26, 2025, and the formal closing event, the Beating Retreat Ceremony, on January 29, 2025.
According to Kashmir Media Service, attendance is being framed as a mandatory official duty for all government workers, including those from Public Sector Undertakings stationed.
The directive comes as Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir, a territory under dispute according to United Nations Security Council resolutions, continues to be the subject of international scrutiny regarding its political status. The territory’s final status is to be determined through a UN-supervised plebiscite. Despite this, India has maintained its occupation of the territory, with widespread objections to the celebration of India’s Republic Day in the territory.
The administration’s plans to hold a large-scale Republic Day function at Maulana Azad Stadium in Jammu, with the Lieutenant Governor presiding over the event and taking the salute, have drawn criticism from local groups and political leaders who view the event as an attempt to undermine the IIOJK’s disputed status. Observers suggest that the mandatory attendance is aimed at presenting an image of unity and patriotism, while also silencing opposition voices that resist India’s occupation.
In a separate notice, the government has emphasized that all department heads and executives are responsible for ensuring that both they and their subordinates participate in the Republic Day and Beating Retreat ceremonies, solidifying the claim that the local population has no objection to the celebrations.
Local political leaders and activists have criticized the move, arguing that it serves to perpetuate India’s illegal occupation of the disputed territory.
