BJP says Govt trying to divert attention from corruption issue

New Delhi, Jan 25 (PTI) BJP today charged thegovernment with trying to divert the attention of the peoplefrom the issue of corruption by not allowing party leaders tohoist the national flag in Srinagar.

"I believe the UPA government and the Jammu andKashmir government are not giving the approval to hoist flag(at Lal Chowk in Srinagar) to create a situation which divertsthe attention of the people from the issue of corruption,"former BJP President Rajnath Singh, who is sitting on a hungerstrike at Rajghat over the issue, said here.

He claimed that despite restrictions, the BJP youthwing activists will abide by democratic norms to oppose theban imposed.

He said hoisting of the national flag in Srinagarbecomes all the more important against the backdrop of thestatement of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullahthat the state had only acceded to India through a treaty andnot merged with it.

"Will any Indian accept this. After such a statement,shouldn''t we say that Jammu and Kashmir is and will be aninseparable part of India...wherever we feel, be it Jammu orSrinagar, we can hoist the national flag," he said.

Accusing the state government of succumbing to thepressure of separatists, he said the decision to ban the entryof BJP leaders in the state will send a wrong message to thecountrymen and the international community.

"This will indicate that separatists have won againstnationalist forces in their own country," he said.