The Jammu and Kashmir government has sparked outrage by celebrating the fourth anniversary of the bifurcation of the state and its downgrading to a Union Territory as “UT Foundation Day”.

Jammu and Kashmir lost its special status with the dilution of Article 370 on August 5, 2019. The state was also split into two Union Territories through the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act which came into effect on October 31, 2019.

Amidst protests by the Opposition, Lt Gen. Manoj Sinha on Tuesday led the official celebrations marking for the first time the anniversary as “UT Foundation Day” alongside National Integration Day.

The government had lined up a series of programmes across the Union Territory to celebrate the occasion, involving thousands of government employees and students to showcase support.

An official statement claimed 15,000 schoolchildren from Kashmir and 2,000 athletes from all over the country were participating in a “mega sporting event” — the 67th national school games in Football, and under-19 and under-17 volleyball — that was inaugurated by Sinha at Srinagar’s Bakshi stadium on Tuesday “on the occasion of UT Foundation Day”.

A spokesman said the gathering of sportspersons, youths and officers took a “Rashtriya Ekta Diwas” pledge at the stadium.

All political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, including ironically the BJP, favour restoration of statehood.

The Jammu and Kashmir Congress observed October 31 as a “black day” and led protests against the controversial decision to mark UT Foundation Day.

Jammu and Kashmir Congress president Viqar Rasool Wani said the LG’s administration was imposing celebrations on the people.

“The people of Jammu and Kashmir were told that downgrading the state into a Union Territory was a temporary move and statehood would be restored at the earliest. But after five years (four years), they have started celebrating UT Divas. Our employees are being forced to join the celebrations,” he told a gathering in Jammu.

“We warn the Centre that if it does not change its attitude, today’s protest would be a beginning. We will take these protests to the grassroots…. You will have to walk over our dead bodies but we won’t allow you to humiliate our people.”

CPM veteran Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami wondered how could there be celebrations on a day when Jammu and Kashmir was dismantled and downgraded into two Union Territories.

“In Parliament, the BJP government assured the people that statehood would be restored soon,” he said. “Beating the drums is an insult to the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.”

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah said: “Were we consulted before creating the UT? Did we have a say in this decision? Did we benefit from this decision?”