The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Tuesday, 11 August 2026 organised a Tiranga Rally alongside school students at the historic Ghanta Ghar in Lal Chowk, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, marking a visible show of patriotism ahead of India's 80th Independence Day. The event was held in keeping with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's annual 'Har Ghar Tiranga' initiative and drew participation from students of a nearby school who marched with CRPF personnel carrying the Tricolour.

What Happened at Lal Chowk

Students and CRPF jawans marched together through one of Srinagar's most symbolically significant public spaces, paying tribute to freedom fighters and security personnel who made the supreme sacrifice for the nation. The rally at the Ghanta Ghar — a landmark long associated with the political and social pulse of the Kashmir Valley — carried added resonance as a demonstration of civic unity in the region.

CRPF 132 Battalion Srinagar Assistant Commandant Prahlad Singh told reporters that the event was a direct response to the Prime Minister's call. 'On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of India's Independence, the Prime Minister announced from the Red Fort that a Har Ghar Tiranga rally would be organised every year on August 15,' Singh said. He added that the rally was designed not just as a ceremonial march but as an educational exercise — to connect young people with the history of India's freedom struggle.

Why Students Were at the Centre of the Rally

'The students are our future, and they will take the country forward. This initiative aims to educate the students about the freedom struggle and the freedom fighters so that they draw inspiration from their sacrifices and develop a desire to serve the country,' Assistant Commandant Singh said.

Participating students expressed enthusiasm about the event. 'We are very happy to participate in this rally. The Har Ghar Tiranga rally is a great initiative because everyone should know how people sacrificed their lives for the freedom of the nation and how our soldiers have laid down their lives to protect us,' one student said. Another called on every household to hoist the Tricolour and honour the sacrifices of both freedom fighters and security forces.

About the Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign

The 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign was launched under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav initiative with the goal of encouraging citizens to bring the national flag into their homes — shifting the Tricolour from an institutional symbol to a personal expression of national pride. The campaign recognised that, historically, most Indians' relationship with the national flag had remained formal and ceremonial rather than intimate.

This year, 'Har Ghar Tiranga 2026' is dedicated to the spirit of 150 Years of Vande Mataram, celebrating patriotism, pride in the Tricolour, and the deep love for the motherland reflected in India's National Song. The theme adds a cultural and historical layer to what has become an annual civic ritual.

Significance of the Srinagar Location

Holding the rally at Lal Chowk's Ghanta Ghar is not incidental. The square has historically been a flashpoint during periods of unrest in the Valley, making a peaceful, student-led Tiranga march there a statement in itself. This is part of a broader pattern of security forces and civil society engaging jointly in public patriotic events in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. As Independence Day 2026 approaches, similar rallies are expected across the Union Territory.