SOURCE: TIMES NOW
Jammu and Kashmir Police, on Monday, detained Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers who were allegedly trying to hoist the national flag at the clock tower in Lal Chowk, Srinagar. A video showed workers chanting slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and unfurling the tricolour in the city. Shortly later, BJP workers were also seen hoisting the national flag at People’s Democratic Party (PDP) office in the city.
The development comes just days after political parties in Jammu and Kashmir decided to fight together for the restoration of Article 370, calling the decision to repeal it ‘unconstitutional’. Last week, seven mainstream political parties in the state formed Peoples’ Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) and stressed that they were ‘anti-BJP’, but not ‘anti-national’.
Will raise tricolour only when the flag of J&K is reinstated: Mufti
Speaking to reports on the sidelines of a meeting of the alliance, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti said that she will not hoist or raise the tricolour till the flag of Jammu and Kashmir was restored. She also announced that she will not contest elections till Article 370 was reinstated and the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was restored.
The parties formed an alliance after Mufti was released from detention earlier this month. She was detained in August last year after the government abrogated Article 370 and revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
The BJP has slammed the alliance calling it ‘anti-national’. State BJP chief Ravinder Raina said that anyone who challenges the unity of the country will be put behind bars. “They will not be allowed to pursue the anti-India agenda,” Raina said. The BJP also announced that it will observe October 26 – the day Jammu and Kashmir was annexed to India – as ‘Merger Day’, to reiterate that J&K is an integral part of India.
