Omar slams BJP over flag hoisting plan at Srinagar on Republic Day

Srinagar/New Delhi, Jan 5 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah lashing out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its plan to hoist the tricolour at the Lal Chowk in Srinagar on Republic Day, on Wednesday said the party is inciting Kashmiris and would be solely responsible for 'any repercussions' in the Valley.

Replying to a question on the 'Kashmir Chalo' rally of the BJP youth wing and its plans to hoist the tricolour at Lal Chowk in Srinagar on January 26, Abdullah said: "Unfortunately the BJP is never happy if there is not fire somewhere or the other. When Kashmir is now quite they (BJP) want to set it on fire again. If their aim is to set Kashmir afire, please tell them to stop. If there are repercussions, I will hold them personally responsible."

"They should not hold me responsible if there is a fallout of that in Kashmir. They will have to come and sort it out. They shall not hold me responsible," he added.

Omar Abdullah further said that there is no point in hoisting national flags individually in Kashmir, as already tricolours will be unfurled at district headquarters across Kashmir on the Republic Day.

"My Minister is going to hoist a tricolour in Srinagar in the middle of the stadium taking a salute, what's the need for individuals to hoist flags. The flag shall be hoisted at numerous places. Every district headquarter will have a flag hoisting ceremony. Every security camp, Army establishment and police structure will have flag hoisting," said Abdullah.

"What is the need for the BJP to hoist a flag at Lal Chowk? Are they more nationalistic than the rest of us? If a minister hoists a flag in Srinagar is that somewhat not relevant. Will their flag hoisting be more relevant? he asked.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said defending the plan of the party's youth wing to hoist the tri colour at the Lal Chowk said: "The BJP has always maintained and rightly so that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. Our youth wing has planned our own programme as a part of our national sovereignty, national solidarity campaign from West Bengal to Kashmir."

"I think it is a welcome program. We are marching with the national flag not in only one state but several states of the country, why should anybody object to this campaign of national solidarity and national sovereignty," he added. (ANI)