Income Tax Department in Jammu & Kashmir celebrated 75th Republic Day with joy and patriotic spirit. All the income tax offices were illuminated and decorated with flowers on the eve of the Republic day. In Jammu, the tricolour was unfurled by Ms. Baljeet Kaur, Commissioner of Income Tax in presence of Rahul Padha, Joint Commissioner. Ms Ruveda Salam, Dy. Commissioner and Dalip Bhatt, Zonal Accounts Officer. Income Tax Officers Parvesh Khajuria, Dharmender Gupta, Vikas Kumar, Rajesh Kaul, Aneeta Thussu, P.S.Jamwal, Durga Kaul, Romesh Sharma, Ajay Kumar Rana, Vinod Kumar and other officials were also present on the occasion along with CISF personnel who offered guard of honour. Baljeet Kaur, in her speech exhorted the officers & officials of the department to provide best services to the taxpayers and spoke on the role of Income Tax in nation building. She also urged the citizen to remain alert and uphold the constitutional values. A plantation drive was also organized in public park near railway station. At Kathua, Satesh Kaul, ITO unfurled the tricolour and also cleaned the surroundings of Govt. Middle School, Rajbagh with his team. In Katra, Vijay Chaudhary, ITO unfurled the flag and his team went to clean the religious shire of Baba Agar Jitto and nearby streams and made it free of polythene. Hardeep Jolly, ITO in Samba, Shamshuddin, ITO in Rajauri, Gulzar Ahmad Malik, ITO in Baramulla, Reyaz Bhat, ITO in Anantnag, and M.L.Dogra, ITO unfurled the national flag and led the shramdan events for cleaning and plantation. Addl. Commissioner Rajeev Gubgotra unfurled the tricolour in Pathankot and organized plantation drive there with Ajay Gupta, ITO, Anjesh Sharma, ITO & other staff. Plantation drive was also organized in Senior Citizen Welfare Club, Bhatindi, Jammu.
In Srinagar, 75th Republic Day was celebrated at Aakyar Bhawan, Rajbagh, Srinagar with pride and reverence. The department had dedicated this year’s Republic day to honour war heroes and their dependents of Kashmir valley who made supreme sacrifices for the country. The Republic day celebrations began by welcoming the chief guest M.P. Singh, IRS, Principal Commissioner of Income Tax, J&K and Ladakh and by giving him ceremonial Guard of Honour by CRPF personnel followed by unfurling of the National Flag and National Anthem. The event was graced by other officers of the department including Shakil Ahmad Ganie (Dy. Commissioner of Income Tax), Syed Junaid (Dy. Commissioner of Income Tax), Income Tax Officers namely Karamvir, Maisee Meena, Sumit Kumar, Ankit Dhaka, AO Chesfeeda Bano along with staff of the department.
In the true spirit of the occasion, to show gratitude to the our committed war heroes, the Income Tax Department invited the veer naris, war veterans & next of kins of martyred soldiers as special guests for the occasion. Prominent local businessmen Sh. Surjeet Singh & Sh. Inderjeet Singh, owners of Peaks Auto Pvt. Ltd. were also invited to attend the event.
Karamvir started the proceedings by giving a brief introduction about historical significance of this day and how drafting committee of our constitution headed by Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar drafted the lengthiest written constitution in the world. Later, Shakil Ahamd Ganie welcomed the war heroes and their family members for gracing the event with their motivating presence. As a token of respect and gratitude, Chief Guest M.P Singh alongwith Surjeet Singh & Inderjeet Singh felicitated the war widows & war veterans and disbursed Induction heaters to all of them. Sri Rashid War of Zila Sainik Welfare Board, Srinagar was also present on the occasion and gave brief introduction of the special guests of the Republic Day which is as follows :-
Lilan Kour (1962 Indo China War Widow of Late Naik Didar Singh), Mahjabena Akhter (War Widow of Late Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani, Ashok Chakra, Sena Medal (Bar) killed in Operation Rakshak), Rubby Bano (war widow of Late Rifleman Mukhtar Ahmad killed in Operation Rakshak), Rubeena Bano (War Widow of late Rifleman Ghulam Hassan Baba killed in Operation Rakshak ), Zareefa Bano (war widow of Late Naik Ghulam Ahmad Mir killed in Operation Vijay (Kargil War), Shazada Akhter (war widow of No: 9099299 Late Rifleman Mohammad Amin Sheikh killed in Operation Rakshak), Maryam Begum (War Widow of Late Rifleman Ghulam Ahmad Sheikh killed in Operation Rakshak), Parveena Bano (war widow of Late Rifleman Manzoor Ahmad Rather killed in Operation Rakshak), Saleema Begum (war widow of Late Rifleman Reyaz Ahmad Mir killed in Operation Rakshak ), Shubby Jan (war widow of Late Rifleman Meer Owais Hussain, Sena Medal, m martyred during Operation Rescue Flood, 2014 (J&K), Rifet (war widow of Late Naik Sameer Malla kidnaped by militants during leave and killed in 2022, Shah Begum(war widow of Late Naik Dost Mohd Khan killed in Operation Vijay (Kargil War), Shabnama Bano (war widow Late Naik Mohd Iqbal Sheikh killed in Operation Rakshak), Taja Bano (widow of Late Sepoy Abdul Rahman of J&K Militia, Jana Begum (widow of Late Sepoy Ghulam Nabi Bhat of J&K Militia), Dilshada Begum (widow of Late Sepoy Mohammad Shafi of J&K Militia), Mrs Nargisa Akhter, (lady assistant serving for veer naris for last 09 Years in the Deptt of Sainik Welfare, Ghulam Ahmad Wani (senior most war veteran in Kashmir valley who participated in 1962, 1965 and 1971 wars, Mohd. Azeem (war veteran, participated in Kargil war), Mohd Abdullah Bhat (participated as Indian Peacekeeping force in Sri Lanka and got wounded), Abdul Rashid Tantray (participated in Kargil war and as Indian Peace keeping force in South Africa), Abdul Majeed Kutty (served the nation for 17 years & serving for the welfare of war widows/widows and Vvterans for last 20 years), Mohd Sultan Wani (served the nation for 30 Years & serving for the welfare of war widows/widows a& veterans for last 10 years), Abdul Gani Taili (participated in Kargil war), Mohd Afzal Gani (served the nation for 18 years & serving for the welfare of war widows/widows & veterans for last 10 years, Ghulam Rasool Lone (participated as Indian Peace Keeping Force in South Africa), Sharbat Hussain (served the nation for 15 years & serving for the welfare of war widows/widows & veterans for last 20 years, Rashid War (participated in Kargil war and contributing for the welfare of war widows & veteran.
A two minute silence was also observed to remember the supreme sacrifices made by the brave soldiers in line of duty and to safeguard our country. Later, Mr. Singh in his address highlighted the legacy of the Republic Day and asked all officers, staff and other present on the ocassion to rededicate themselves to making India a strong democracy committed to the values of justice, equality and liberty. He emphasized that celebrating Republic Day reminds us of the struggles and sacrifices made to achieve independence and that as citizens of the largest democracy in the world, it is incumbent on us to nurture our democracy and ensure that the coming generations also enjoy the freedom of living in a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic. Mr. Singh also expressed his happiness at meeting the war heroes & veer naris and paid tributes to those who made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the nation. He described the veterans as important assets of the nation who are an inspiration to every Indian and said that their presence on this occasion is a testimony of the patriotism of the Kashmiri awam. People of Kashmir now have to demonstrate to the world that they too believe in vasudhaiv-kutumbkam and will always follow the path of peace & brotherhood shown by the sufi-saints of this great land. He also urged the participants to take a pledge that being responsible citizens of this great country we must uphold the integrity and sovereignty of the country and play our part in overall development of the country. Mr. Singh also expressed pleasure in sharing that people of J&K are rapidly developing a sense of belongingness and inclusiveness & are embracing the path of peace and prosperity which was a dream of every Indian citizen for the past few decades. Later, Mr. Karamvir took the stage and thanked the special guests majority of whom despite being from far flung areas of J& K were kind enough to accept the department’s invitation and grace the event with their kind presence and made it a memorable day for all. The event concluded with high tea and refreshment for all.
