The celebration of the 71st Independence day was held at the Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. The stadium has the capacity to hold around 18,000 people however it witnessed only 3000 people attending the function.
Soon after Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti unfurled the tricolor, the national anthem was played, but most of the people present did not stand up. People sitting in the VIP enclosure, including high court judges, MLAs, MLCs, bureaucrats and office bearers of political parties, stood up to pay their respect to the national anthem but most of the people remained seated.
UP Police contingent leader Deputy Superintendent of Police Sheodan Singh was also present during the celebrations, it was for the first time Uttar Pradesh Police contingent was taking part in the celebrations in Kashmir. In his statement to the reporters, Sheodan expressed his shock looking at the empty stands at the stadium and said that “it was a disappointing sight to see such a small gathering at the main venue of Independence Day celebrations. In our state, Independence Day is celebrated like a festival.”
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was also awarded the guard of honour during the celebration of the fuction.