The Valley on Sunday hosted for the first-time hundreds of Tricolor-hoisting ceremonies but a near total shutdown against the Independence Day celebrations played spoilsport for the government.

Kashmiris have traditionally stayed away from the national commemorations like Independence Day or Republic Day but there was a virtual riot of colours at stadiums, schools, colleges and other government institutions on Sunday.

The administration illuminated the city’s iconic landmark, Ghanta Ghar, in colours of the Tricolour and hoisted a massive national flag at centuries old monument atop Hari Parbat hill. Several local newspapers, also in a first, splashed messages on front pages greeting their readers on Independence Day.

The events came in response to government orders making it mandatory for heads of educational institutions to unfurl the flag, as part of a two-year-old campaign beginning with the scrapping of special status to fully integrate Kashmir with the country.

Official sources said e-mails were sent to newspapers with a direction to greet readers, although a government official dismissed it as “fake news”. Several newspapers greeted readers but some skipped the greetings.

Over the past two years, the government could not “enforce” such events because it had enforced a lockdown.

“Independence Day will be celebrated in all schools. Directions should be conveyed to all the CEOs, principals/headmasters to hoist national flag at all schools. Videos and photos of the event will be uploaded on Google drive,” a government order last week said.

Thousands of teachers and students participated in the preparations over the past several days for the flag-hoisting events, although educational institutions have remained shut for two years because of repeated lockdowns. The government had relaxed Covid-19 restrictions on gatherings for August 15 events.

Among many school heads obliging was Muzaffar Wani, father of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani whose killing in 2016 led to a civilian unrest. Wani is a headmaster of a government school in Tral and his pictures unfurling the national flag were widely shared on social media.

The Valley, however, observed a complete shutdown. The markets were shut and the roads deserted, suggesting the participation in Independence Day events was not all voluntary. Top politicians, including Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, chose not to greet people on social media.

A schoolteacher in Srinagar said the fear of losing jobs or harassment forced many teachers to fall in line. The government has in recent weeks terminated at least 18 government employees for their alleged azadi links and enquiries were held, which has instilled fear among the employees.

A government spokesperson, however, said the celebrations were held with great fervour and enthusiasm and “rekindled the spirit of the Indian freedom movement.”

Many on social media, however, expressed outrage over the “forced hoisting” of the national flag. Sabbah Haji, who runs a non-profit school in Jammu’s Doda, regretted the government was “doing school-by-school phone calls” to check whether they hoisted flags, rather checking “status of teaching and students” in the schools.