Srinagar, Jan 26: While ministers unfurled tricolor in their respective districts on the occasion of Republic Day, Deputy Commissioner Pulwama took the salute and hoisted Indian flag in the district.
Official sources said that originally it was Finance Minister, Dr Haseeb Darbu who had to unfurl the tricolor in Pulwama but couldn’t make it to the venue.
Dr Drabu said that he could not make it to the venue as flight could not take off due to weather conditions on early Friday morning.
“I met Governor N N Vohra at 3:30 pm yesterday and since there was delay I decided to leave early Friday morning in the state plane. However, it could not take off due to weather conditions so I decided to participate in a function in Jammu,” the finance minister said.
Very little participation of students was witnessed in Pulwama as militants had recently warned against participating in the January 26 functions. A Principal of a Govt High School, Pulwama was also intimidated.
SSP Pulwama Mohammad Aslam Choudary said that there was minimum participation by students due to recent militant threat.
Sources said local students did not take part in the cultural programme but the students from other parts including Srinagar were brought to the venue.
When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Pulwama, Ghulam Mohammad Dar said almost nine cultural programmes were held and people also participated.
Meanwhile, officials said the 69th Republic Day functions across the valley passed off peacefully.
In Srinagar, the tricolor was unfurled by law and parliamentary affairs minister Abdul Rehman Veeri.
Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura unfurled the tricolour at Budgam, Sajad Lone at Kupwara, Basharat Bukhari at Baramulla, Asiea Naqash at Ganderbal, Imran Raza Ansari at Bandipora, Abdul Haq Khan at Anantnag, Javaid Mustafa Mir at Shopian and Naeem Akthar at Kulgam. (GNS)