BJP wants Mehbooba Mufti arrested for remarks on tricolour

Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti’s remark on the tricolour while demanding restoration of special status for Jammu and Kashmir has triggered angry reactions from the BJP and Congress.

Mufti, the last chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, said on October 23 that she was not interested in contesting elections or holding the national tricolour till the constitutional changes enforced on August 5 last year were rolled back. The special status of Jammu and Kashmir was revoked on August 5 last year.

In her first media interaction after her release from 14-month detention, she also said she would hold the tricolour only when the separate flag of the region would be restored.

Retorting sharply, the Congress condemned Mufti’s remark as “unacceptable” while the BJP went on to demand her arrest.

Related news: Will raise India flag only with ‘flag of Kashmir’: Mehbooba Mufti

The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee on Friday said her statement has hurt sentiments of the people. “Such statements are intolerable and unacceptable in any society,” JKPCC chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said. He said such statements will defeat the democratic and constitutional struggle for achieving any just right.

The Jammu and Kashmir BJP demanded the arrest of Mufti for what they called “seditious remarks” by the chief of PDP, its former ally. It said “no power on earth” can either hoist the state flag again or restore Article 370, which granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Meanwhile, in an act seen as defiance, the flag of the erstwhile state was prominently placed on a table in front of the PDP president along with that of her party during the presser.

“I request Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to take cognisance of seditious remarks of Mehbooba Mufti, book her for the seditious act and put her behind bars,” Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina told reporters. “We will sacrifice every drop of our blood for our flag, country and motherland. J-K is an integral part of our country, so only one flag can be hoisted in J-K and that is the national flag.”