World

Trouble brews over BJP plan to hoist flag in Indian held Kashmir

Party stopped from hoisting national flag for fear of provoking violence in the region.

Reuters January 24, 2011

JAMMU: The leaders of India's main opposition Hindu nationalist party were stopped on Monday from travelling to Indian held Kashmir (IHK) to hoist the national flag, the party said, for fear of provoking violence in the sensitive region.

While the Bharatiya Janata Party said the plan to fly the flag in Srinagar to mark India's Republic Day on Wednesday, was a patriotic right, the government dismissed it as a political stunt ahead of state elections this year.

"We have landed in Jammu. It appears they have locked the terminal gates. Not being allowed to go out," Sushma Swaraj, the leader of the BJP in parliament said in a tweet from the airport in Jammu.

"Just see, we are being deported because we want to fly the national flag," she said, as hundreds of party supporters blocked roads outside the airport to protest against the administration's decision not to allow her to travel onwards to Srinagar.

Officials in IHK fear that the BJP's plan to hoist the Indian flag as a symbolic show of control over the region could reignite protests in which more than 100 people were killed last year.

Separatists had vowed to oppose the BJP's move to hoist the flag in the heart of Srinagar.

The BJP leaders planned to go to Srinagar on road along with activists who have been travelling with the flag across the country.

"We have requested them to return to Delhi but they don't agree," a security official said.

The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front said it would unfurl its own flag in the city centre in Srinagar and demand independence.

COMMENTS (14)

Ravi | 13 years ago | Reply @ Sheheryar: If you do not have place to keep your own people, drop them in ocean. Send then in Afganistan, mountains. Do not look at other side of Border.

Ashutosh | 13 years ago | Reply The contribution of Muslims in building the Great Nation is not less than any other Indian. They too are no less patriotic than any other Indian. What BJP is doing is creating nuisance and unfortunately nuisance sell a bit too much! This is sad part of the current world order and is the biggest lacuna in a democratic setup,, freedom of press and freedom of expression.

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Mohamed Rifaye | 13 years ago | Reply @ Ravi & Shetty : such a irresponsible statement. you have brought such a shame to the fundamental idea of this great nation. Remember the missle man of india, the people president, whose missle today protect us from our enemy himself is a muslim. The muslims in india has such a proud history, and will remain as indians what soever. few people like you, will never accept unified india that our founding father dreamt of. If you want to kick out all muslims, i am not sure if you love to kick Mr AR Rahman ( you must be one of those guy who love his great music ) or APJ Kalam or amir khan or azim premji and thousands of eminent indians. I dont want to call them as muslims , but rather as fellow indians. but your irresponsible remark made me to pay you back at this way. If you wonder who i am. I am proud indian, a tamilian and a muslim. I will remain an indian, and will ever be proud to be one..No bloody person has the right to send me out. This is my country. I have the rights as much as you have. Hope good sense prevails.

Nirgas blue film 2011 | 13 years ago | Reply Indian atrocities in Kashmir are rampant and for the world to see. Countries like Canada refuse Indian generals visa citing human rights violation as the reason. Their own writers/columnists/authors/intellectuals acknowledge the human rights violations and blame the Indian government of controlling India through might, power, blood shed and violence. The only way for Kashmir is independence… and Pakistan should agree to it.

Rajat | 13 years ago | Reply Shame on you Kailash and Ravi, that you attack a 160million strong community who have done innumerable good to our country based on the acts of 5 million Kashmiri muslims. Just because we as a religious community are in majority in our country does not mean that we can say just about anything on our minority brethren.

abdullah | 13 years ago | Reply what else can u expect from a terror org lyk BJP ...the thing is that these terror org have supporters and they represent these terrorist ppl in the indian parliament ..this is realy sad....gud pakistan does not have such terror org in the parliament. and the best part is all islamic parties have joined hands in war on terror.... this terror org have attacked kashmiri leaders in the past as well ...and no proper steps have been taken to provide safety to kashmiri leaders by the ruling indian gov ...this shows that indian gov is so scared of these indian terrorist org .......

Sheheryar | 13 years ago | Reply @Ravi: Good idea! As Pakistan is too small to accommodate all those Muslims, how about making your states of Kashmir, Punjab and Rajistan be part of Pakistan :)

A Chowdhury | 13 years ago | Reply Congress believes in muslim appeasement ! BJP believes in Hindutva (distorted version of it) !! This to both the political parties - STOP PLAYING WITH THE SENTIMENTS OF HINDUS & MUSLIMS FOR GOD SAKE !!!

Adeel Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply Indian atrocities in Kashmir are rampant and for the world to see. Countries like Canada refuse Indian generals visa citing human rights violation as the reason. Their own writers/columnists/authors/intellectuals acknowledge the human rights violations and blame the Indian government of controlling India through might, power, blood shed and violence. The only way for Kashmir is independence... and Pakistan should agree to it.

Ravi | 13 years ago | Reply @kailash sethy: ya man muslims should have left the whole of hindustan and migrate to pakistan this would have been much better!!!!!

Yousuf | 13 years ago | Reply Patriotism is nothing more than a soothing narcotic for the ignorant sheep. With poverty, illiteracy and terrorism plaguing the streets of all three countries, all they can think of is hoisting a damn flag over a random building... pathetic.

kailash sethy | 13 years ago | Reply @Sheheryar yeah u r so right.. And also it shows Muslims will never consider themselves as part of India.

Rajat | 13 years ago | Reply No Sheheryar, this just proves that GOI still has control over the region, as it is not allowing various extremist elements to instigate the people, which would lead to further problems. The Indian flag will be hoisted over Lal Chowk on 26th anyway by the ruling party. It is just that these BJP guys wont stop at hoisting the flag, they will make some unwarranted remarks by holding a rally there. The main issue is this rather than the hosting of the tricolour. You should see who is stopping who here, the Kashmiri separatists are not stopping them, the same police (who you guys love to demonize) is trying to stop them. Moreover in Indian constitution, it is stated that individual people or groups of people are not allowed to unfurl the flag at public places, it is the job of the incumbent government.

Sheheryar | 13 years ago | Reply This is a perfect answer to those who somehow think Kashmir is an integral part of India!

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