BJP president challenges J&K govt on state flag issue

Jammu:Challenging the state government to arrest him if they could, on the ongoing state flag controversy, Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) state president, Ashok Khajuria said that the party only accepted one Constitution, one Flag and one President in a nation.

Coming in front of media after reiterating their five-decade-old slogan of one Constitution, one flag and one President, Khajuria, while addressing a press conference at party headquarters in Jammu on Sunday said the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir only accepted the Indian Constitution and national tricolour.

“BJP will start public rallies from February 15 in connection with the controversy to spread awareness among people that we are living in India and only respect one nation and reject the state flag,” Khajuria said.

Khajuria, who had rejected the state flag in a television programme, also rocked the state assembly, when opposition party National Conference legislatures demanded legal action against the BJP president.

“I am ready to court arrest, if I am wrong. But I am patriotic and I have every right to raise my voice as an Indian,” the BJP leader added.

When asking about the stand of party’s national leadership on his statement, Khajuria said that from BJP chief Rajnath Singh to the common party worker, everybody supported him on the issue.

Khajuria accompanied by BJP spokesperson Hari Om and Ramesh Arora said that BJP is of the view that the time has come to review the stand on the temporary Article 370, which has not only given a special status to Jammu and Kashmir on the issue of religion, but also emboldened the Separatists to seek a separate state from India.

Khajuria said the state flag controversy is not only apolitical but also a prestige issue for every patriot. Reacting on the claims of Tabassum (wife of Parliament attack accused Mohammad Afzal Guru) that they have paid Rs one lakh to Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) to get her husband released from custody.

Khajuria said, “If her claims are true, then why did she keep mum during the last six years and revealed it now, when her husband is close to the gallows.”