JAMMU, Aug 5: Launching a scathing attack on PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, senior BJP leader and former minister Bali Bhagat on Wednesday said the alleged display of the National Flag in an inverted position by Mehbooba Mufti was an “unpardonable insult” to the Tricolour and accused Omar Abdullah of shielding her instead of condemning the incident.
“Respect for the Tiranga is non-negotiable. It is the symbol of the sacrifices of millions of freedom fighters and the pride of 140 crore Indians. Anyone who cannot even hold the National Flag with the dignity and sanctity it deserves has no moral right to lecture the nation on democracy or patriotism,” Bhagat said.
He said a former Chief Minister is expected to know the Flag Code and uphold the honour of the National Flag.
“If leaders who have occupied the highest constitutional offices cannot even display the Tricolour correctly, one has to ask whether they truly respect the nation they claim to represent. Those who cannot respect the sanctity of the Tricolour, how can they be trusted to serve the country?” Bhagat said.
Targeting Omar Abdullah for describing the incident as an inadvertent mistake, Bhagat alleged that the Chief Minister’s response exposed the “politics of convenience” between the National Conference and the PDP.
“Instead of condemning the insult to the National Flag, Omar Abdullah rushed to defend Mehbooba Mufti. This is nothing but ‘chor-chor mausere bhai’ politics. Whenever one of them is caught on the wrong side of public sentiment, the other immediately comes to the rescue. Their ideological differences disappear when it comes to protecting each other,” Bhagat alleged.
He further alleged that the incident reflected what he described as the opposition’s “double standards” on issues of nationalism.
“The Tricolour is above politics, parties and personalities. No leader is above the dignity of the National Flag. If an ordinary citizen is expected to honour the Flag Code, political leaders must be held to an even higher standard. There should be no selective outrage and no selective accountability,” he said.
Demanding appropriate action in accordance with the law, Bhagat said, “The dignity of the Tiranga cannot be compromised under any circumstances. The law should take its own course if there has been a violation of the Flag Code. National symbols deserve the highest respect, and no one should be allowed to undermine them with impunity.”
He urged all political parties to treat the National Flag with the reverence it deserves and said the people of Jammu and Kashmir would not tolerate any disrespect to the Tiranga.