J&K won?t allow BJP to hoist national flag

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday decided it will not allow the Bharatiya Janata Party youth wing activists to hoist the national flag on Republic Day, Jan 26, at Lal Chowk in Srinagar.

Citing a ?potential of vitiating the peaceful atmosphere?, a high-level meeting in Jammu chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah concluded that the programme will not be allowed.

?The state government has directed the Civil and Police authorities to ensure that all measures are taken to ensure that the law and order in the state is not disturbed in the run up to the Republic Day celebrations,? an official statement said.

Calling it a ?provocative act? a senior cabinet minister said Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists would not be allowed to cross the Jawahar tunnel separating the Jammu and Kashmir division of the state.

A government spokesperson said that while Republic Day should be celebrated with full fervor and enthusiasm, people who are determined to disrupt law and order should be dealt with sternly.

The decision comes a day after the Abdullah?s meeting with the Home Minister P Chidambaram in New Delhi.

BJP leaders were, however, quoted as saying they were not ready to call of the even since they were ?not breaking any law by hoisting the trocolour?.

The rally, called the Ekta Sankalp yatra, was flagged by BJP president Nitin Gadkari from Kolkata on Jan 11. The party had planned to hoist the national flag at Lal Chowk on Jan 26, which has evoked lot of tension in the Kashmir Valley.

Kashmir has been experiencing subdued tensions after the valley witnessed spiralling anti-India protests in 2010 with more than 100 people dying in street riots.

The government later appointed three interlocutors to ascertain the situation and talk to various groups of people.