The National Flag was for the first time hoisted at the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) by Mayor Junaid Azim Muttu during the Republic Day celebrations on Saturday.

This was for the first time that the tri-colour was unfurled at the SMC complex in the heart of Srinagar city despite the boycott call of the Republic Day given by terrorists and separatists.

Muttu, who had recently resigned from the National Conference and was elected Mayor of Srinagar, inspected the guard of honour by the police. The Karan Nagar area, where the SMC is located, has been targeted several times by terrorists in the past.

At the divisional level function, Governor’s advisor Khurshid Ahmad Ganai unfurled the National Flag.

During the past 30 years of terrorism, this is perhaps for the first time that besides the official function, any other arm of the state government has organised a flag hoisting ceremony on the Republic Day.

The BJP general secretary Ram Madhav tweeted; “Hearty congrats n best wishes to Mayor Junaid Mattoo of Srinagar Municipal Corporation for hoisting national flag for d first time in corporation building on Republic Day”.

The main function was held in Jammu where Governor Satya Pal Malik unfurled the tri-colour followed by an impressive parade.

Terrorists had planned to target the celebration venue in Srinagar where two Pakistani terrorists were shot down by the security forces in an encounter. Terrorists also hurled grenades at six places in the Valley.

Elsewhere, the Indian Army skipped the ceremonial exchange of sweets with the Pakistan troops at the Chakan-Da-Bagh LOC point in the Poonch district where the latter have been shelling Indian Army pickets and civilian areas. However, the Indian Army celebrated the day with Chinese troops at two places, Chushul-Moldo and Daulat Beigh Oldie (DBO) in eastern Ladakh.

Ceremonial Border Personnel Meetings (BPM) were conducted at the Indian BPM huts at Chushul-Moldo and DBO-TWD meeting points of Eastern Ladakh, said an Army spokesman.

The Indian delegation was led by Brigadier VK Purohit and Colonel SS Lamba while the Chinese delegation was led by Senior Col Bai Min and Col Song Zhang Li.

Both the delegations interacted in a free, congenial and cordial environment. The delegations parted amidst a feeling of friendship and commitment towards enhancing the existing cordial relations and maintaining peace along the borders.  Both sides also sought to build upon the mutual feeling to maintain peace and tranquillity along the borders, the spokesman added.