Malik to BJP: Will see who hoists Lal Chowk flag

[Developereo]

to proclaim ultra-patriotism through this action to outsmart the political adversaries in the eyes of the Indian public.

"Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel", Samuel Johnson.

Devoid of ideas, BJP is reduced to these kinds of stunts.

Sad indeed.

 

[KS]

obviously not

Yes, indeed.

oh you're right....and what I'm saying is, I don't believe a thin word.

None of my concern as you were not my intended audience in the first place. It was addressed to another Indian member.

"Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel", Samuel Johnson.

Devoid of ideas, BJP is reduced to these kinds of stunts.

Sad indeed.

By that definition - we are all scoundrels out here. Aint we ?

 

[Developereo]

By that definition - we are all scoundrels out here. Aint we ?

Samuel Johnson's statement was about demagog politicians who use the patriotism card to pull wool over people's eyes.

In this case, BJP is doing a road show of patriotism which will achieve lilttle and may actually cause harm to quite a few people. Everyone from the elected representatives to the army has asked them to reconsider given the delicate situation, but BJP remains adamant.

It would have been more productive to come up with policy statements about what they will do to bring the Kashmiris willingly into the Indian fold. But that would require hard work of coming up with solutions. Much harder than hoisting a flag...

 

[Frankenstein]

BJP piss dreams, they are going to go down

 

[KS]

Samuel Johnson's statement was about demagog politicians who use the patriotism card to pull wool over people's eyes.

In this case, BJP is doing a road show of patriotism which will achieve lilttle and may actually cause harm to quite a few people. Everyone from the elected representatives to the army has asked them to reconsider given the delicate situation, but BJP remains adamant.

It would have been more productive to come up with policy statements about what they will do to bring the Kashmiris willingly into the Indian fold. But that would require hard work of coming up with solutions. Much harder than hoisting a flag...

Maybe , may not be.

Whatever be their intentions I support national flag being raised in an 'integral' part of India.

And FYI, Army has not opposed it.It just said if any disturbances occur, which is guarenteed but the separatists, then it will take action in the national interest.

That 'warning' was exagerated if you read the Press release of the Army.

 

[ajtr]

The Government and the administration have decided that the BJYM and BJP leaders and activists accompanying the 'Ekta Yatra' led by BJYM president and Hamirpur (Himachal Pradesh) MP Anuragh Thakur, who would enter the State from Lakhanpur on January 24 morning, will not be allowed to cross Kathua town. The BJP and BJYM activists, who will try to reach Jammu to join the party rally at Parade Ground on January 25 morning before proceeding to Lal Chowk, will also be stopped at various towns and dispersed. The rally at Parade Ground will not be allowed to be held as the administration feared that it would be difficult to disperse the huge gathering and easy to disperse small groups from wherever they emerge to join the rally or the yatra.

All three DIGs of Jammu-Kathua, Udhampur-Reasi and Doda-Ramban ranges besides the SSPs of Kathua, Samba, Jammu and Udhampur have been directed to ensure that no vehicle of the 'Ekta Yatra' or any other known BJP or BJYM leader or activists managed to move towards Srinagar on the eve of Republic Day.

.....Jan Sangh president, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee was also stopped at Lakhanpur on May 11, 1953 by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah when the Sangh leader was marching towards Kashmir in favour of 'Ek Vidhan, Ek Pradhan, Ek Nishan' slogan. He had died under mysterious circumstances in a jail at Srinagar later. Anuragh Thakur had started his 'Ekta Yatra' from Kolkata, the birth place of Mukherjee.

"The BJP high command has decided that the yatra continues and it will continue as per the schedule and there is no change in it. The party has no intentions to create any law and order problem or enter into any confrontation with anyone'', BJP's chief spokesman and member national executive, Dr Jatinder Singh said. Party sources from New Delhi and Jammu told the Excelsior that a strategy was in place to ensure that the tricolor is hoisted by their activists at Lal Chowk on the occasion of Republic Day even if the main yatra convoy is stopped at Kathua by the administration.

Daily Excelsior

 

[ajtr]

'J&K Govt's duty to ensure flag hoisting'
Ekta Yatra is challenge to separatists, not Govt: Advani

NEW DELHI, Jan 20: Questioning Jammu and Kashmir Government's opposition to BJP's Ekta Yatra, senior party leader L K Advani today said the move was in no way challenging the State Government but separatists.

"Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said the move will precipitate things in the Valley. It is a provocative step. It is provocative not for India but its enemies...We are not challenging the Government but the separatists," he said.

He was addressing the Ekta Yatra of BJP youth wing which reached here on way to Kashmir where party leaders plan to hoist national flag at historic Lal Chowk.

Advani said it was the duty of the State Government to ensure that the national flag is hoisted at Lal Chowk successfully. "The Government should help in hoisting the flag. It is the Government's duty to do so...It should not forget its duty," he said.

The BJP leader questioned the recent statement of Abdullah that Jammu and Kashmir had only accessed to India through a treaty and not merged with it on the lines of Hyderabad and Junagarh. "I am surprised at the statement," he said.

Referring to the decision of Bharatiya Jan Sangh leader Shyama Prasad Mukherjee's decision not to seek 'permit' for entering Jammu and Kashmir, Advani said "provocation was necessary for achievements...His decision ensured that permit raj ended in that State soon after his demise there. After that the President and the Supreme Court had jurisdiction over Jammu and Kashmir."

Advani said the plan of then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to introduce Article 370 in the Constitution to provide special status to Jammu and Kashmir was opposed by several Congress members before the draft went to the Constituent Assembly.

In an apparent attack on the State Government for its objections to BJP's plan to hoist flag in Srinagar, he said under the earlier Flag Code it was a crime for the common man to waive or hoist national flag except on Republic Day and Independence Day.

"When I was the Deputy Prime Minister, I worked to change the Code so that the common man could also fly the flag...Today when I hand over the national flag to Anurag Thakur (BJYM president) to hoist it in Kashmir, I know I am not committing a crime (under the flag code)," he said.

Advani cautioned the UPA not to do anything to pose hurdles in hoisting the national flag in Jammu and Kashmir on the Republic Day.

He said the Government, if at all has anything, should cooperate and facilitate the flag hoisting mission undertaken by young patriotic group and stop the objections raised by separatist forces.

''If they pose any hurdles, the nation would not tolerate it,'' the BJP leader declared.

Taking a dig at Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Mr Advani said he 'pitied' him.''I have all the goodwill and respects for him and my grouse is only political. No Prime Minister of this country has been as weak as Dr Singh because he allowed the devaluation of high post he occupies,'' he said.

The situation in the country is very akin to the erstwhile era of the Soviet Union where the President of the Republic was insignificant because it was the Communist Party chief who called the shots, he said without taking any names.

Advani said some within the BJP had raised questions when he had described Singh as a "weak PM" in the run-up to the 2009 Lok Sabha elections but now "everyone agrees" with this assessment.

"I respect him (Singh). But when I had said he seems to be a weak Prime Minister, people had said I was making a personal attack," he said.

"It was in fact a political comment...Even some of my colleagues had said that he is a gentleman and why make such remarks. But today everyone agrees with me," he said.

Mounting a fresh attack on Dr Singh, Advani said he was feeling vindicated by the Supreme Court rap on Government on the issue of blackmoney stashed in foreign banks as it ran contrary to the Prime Minister's earlier stand that such allegations were "irresponsible".

"When I had raised the issue in 2009, the Prime Minister had dubbed my statements as an election stunt and irresponsible. But after the Supreme Court observations that Indian blackmoney stashed in foreign banks is a plunder of country's resources, the rejigged Cabinet in its first meeting today was forced to discuss the issue," Advani said.

He said from allocation of 2G spectrum to Commonwealth Games and Adarsh housing society scam, the UPA Government was facing a series of corruption charges.

"The government is passing through the worst crisis of its tenure," he said adding that he felt pity on the Government for where "it has reached".

The BJP Parliamentary Party Chairman also referred to the anguish expressed by the Australian Government on the CWG Organising Committee not paying dues to companies from that country which had worked during the mega sports event.

"T V channels were showing headlines like Kalmadi shames again," he said in an apparent attack on the Government for taking the Games scam guilty to task.

Earlier, amid loud cheers, BJP’s ‘Rashtriya Ekta Yatra’, aiming to hoist the national flag at Kashmir’s Lal Chowk, today recieved a hearty welcome in the Capital.

Organised by the party’s youth wing, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the fleet entered the city through Badarpur Border around 1300 hrs.

Hundreds of BJP youth members and workers, under the leadership of BJYM president Anurag Thakur, on cars, motorcycles and scooters carrying the national flag shouted slogans of "Lal Chowk Jayenge, Tiranga Lehrayenge".

Delhi BJP members with their chief Vijender Gupta, welcomed the yatra wholeheartedly.

A party official said that more than 40 tonnes of flowers will be used all through the programme by various Zila presidents to greet the brigade.

Calling today’s procession as the biggest ever organised by the BJYM, he said, it comprises at least 40,000 two-wheelers.

Covering at least 23 km today, the ‘Tiranga Yatra’ will pass through areas of Tughlaqabad, Shahadra, Mayur Vihar, Mehrauli, South Delhi and New Delhi districts. All the Delhi BJP Zila presidents will greet the members in their respective areas.

The fleet will call it a day at Constitution Club on Rafi Marg where they will be addressed by senior party leader Lal Krishna Advani.

Tomorrow, the yatra will move further via Delhi University, Mall Road, Lucknow Road and Wazirabad to reach Sir C V Raman Industrial Training Institute, Dheerpur where they will be again welcomed by party workers before moving towards Srinagar via NH-1 (GT Road) and Kondli bordering Haryana.

Party leaders Ananth Kumar, Vani Tripathi, Ramesh Bidhuri, Dharmendra Pradhan and Nakul Bhardwaj also joined the league at Tughlaqabad.

BJP president Nitin Gadkari launched the yatra in Kolkata on January 12 which will conclude on January 26 with the hoisting of the national flag at Lal Chowk in the Kashmir valley, despite reservations from the Jammu and Kashmir Government and opposition by separatists.

The 14-day yatra will cover a distance of 3,037 kms and pass through 12 States. It will enter Jammu and Kashmir on the afternoon of January 24 at Pathankot. (Agencies)

Daily Excelsior....News Page

 

[Irfan Baloch]

Maybe , may not be.

Whatever be their intentions I support national flag being raised in an 'integral' part of India.

BJP is the Hindu version of the Jamaat Islami.. both come up with these stunts to strirr up trouble.. remember what happned when the announced the "Ikta Yatra"? (pardon the spellings)

it is more to do with causing controversy and anguish to the Kashmiri people, cause security/ law and order issue for the local authorise and cause problem for the Congress in the centre. Patriotism is just a ploy. You can debate your heart out on “integral part” but Kashmiris beg to differ and they have made a point since 1948 to date.

This BJP stunt reminds me of the right wing rallies in the guise of patriotism in the West when the fascist thugs wave the flags and shout racist tantrums in front of Asian & African community centres. When the police drags them away they all get hyper and shout for their “freedom” and country and all that.

 

[KS]

BJP is the Hindu version of the Jamaat Islami.. both come up with these stunts to strirr up trouble.. remember what happned when the announced the "Ikta Yatra"? (pardon the spellings)

I dont know what Jamiat Islami is upto. But BJP is not a Hindu party. It is a nationalist party.

But guessing from the name JI's counterpart would be VHP.

it is more to do with causing controversy and anguish to the Kashmiri people, cause security/ law and order issue for the local authorise and cause problem for the Congress in the centre. Patriotism is just a ploy. You can debate your heart out on “integral part” but Kashmiris beg to differ and they have made a point since 1948 to date.

How would the raising of the national flag on republic day cause controversy and anguish to the people when BJP has explicitly said it is going to raise the flag only and not to pelt stones which btw only cause anguish and controversy.

And FYKI, it is the Kashmiri pandits who are going to lead the Ekta Yatra. So drop this canard of Kashmiris opposing it. A section of the Valley Muslims influenced by the separatists may oppose it though.
I am not denying it.

This BJP stunt reminds me of the right wing rallies in the guise of patriotism in the West when the fascist thugs wave the flags and shout racist tantrums in front of Asian & African community centres. When the police drags them away they all get hyper and shout for their “freedom” and country and all that.

Do the BJP ralllies shout tantrums against the Valley Muslims ??

 

[notsuperstitious]

"Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel", Samuel Johnson.

Devoid of ideas, BJP is reduced to these kinds of stunts.

Sad indeed.

Hey did you watch ISPRs latest propaganda videos?

 

[ajtr]

an article on why flag hoisting is a "bad idea" from a "senior" J&K journalist.

Published in Dainik Hindustan (Hindi).

Saajha pahchaan ka pratik Lal Chowk (Lal Chowk is a symbol of shared identity)

By Mohammad Sayeed Malik
Rough Translation:

1. Like Ayodhya, Kashmir is an attractive agenda for RSS and its sister organizations.

2. Lal Chowk was an important place for show of strength during Sheikh Abdullah's popular movement during 1941 to 1947.

3. When Hari Singh escaped from J&K in 1947-48, the National Conference controlled the situation from Lal Chowk.

4. Sheikh Abdullah and Nehru embraced at Lal Chowk. It is a symbol of a Muslim-majority state becoming a part of India willingly. Sheikh Abdullah read a farsi verse which meant that "we have become one together." Generally, Lal Chowk represents a relation which is the very antithesis of what is represented by the Sangh parivar.

5. Tricolor is not hoisted at Lal Chowk on 26th Jan/15th Aug. No govt function is held here. Flags are hoisted at Bakshi stadium in Srinagar and Maulana Azad stadium in Jammu.

6. Murli Manohar Joshi's 1992 yatra was hilarious. It started with a roar in Kanyakumari and ended with a whimper at Lal Chowk.

7. Omar Abdullah had failed to stop violence last summer. If Omar makes any wrong decision [by bending before BJP], his supporters would interpret it as his failure to protect the heritage of Sheikh Abdullah, which is represented by Lal Chowk. BJP's ideology and politics is completely opposite of Omar Abdullah, his family and government.

8. The common heritage of Jammu and Kashmir is at risk now. It has always been difficult to find the balance between religious, regional, and cultural differences. These difficulties have destroyed many idols [pratimaon :?: ] before. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee paid the price by giving his life. But his aim of "ek vidhaan, ek nishaan" was not achieved. J&K is the only state of India which has a separate flag and constitution (vidhaan). Turbulence in last three decades have shown the importance of this unique nature [vishistata]. Any interference can have serious consequences.

9. Just as we need to stop the militants' call of "Kashmir chalo" to preserve the common heritage of J&K, similarly we need to protect Lal Chowk from the attack of Sangh parivar.

10. At the time of independence, there was a serious resistance against the attack of tribesman from Pakistan. Similarly, there can be a serious opposition to ideological attack from the other side [i.e., BJP]. The futility of such attempts has been proved before. But BJP's narrow militancy (sankirna ugravaad) prevents it from learning from history.

 

[ajtr]

BJP workers pour into Jammu, yatra to continue

Jammu: A day after the Jammu and Kashmir government officially stated it would not allow Bharatiya Janta Patry's Ekta Yatra in the state, the law minister reiterated they are willing to go to any extend to maintain order in the state.
Despite the strict warning, the BJP workers are defiant and busy planning the event in Jammu. Nitin Navin, national general secretary of the youth morcha, who is already camping in the state, says the schedule and the enthusiasm is intact.
Navin said, "We will go to Lal Chowk at all cost. The yatra will terminate in J&K on January 26".
As per the BJPs plan, the yatra, will enter the state on January 24, followed by a rally near Lakhanpur, the state border.
On January 25, another rally has been scheduled at the parade ground, Jammu. Apprehending that the rally will be stopped at the state border, the party says the workers are already pouring in and even moving towards Kashmir.
Munish Sharma Pradesh, state president BJYM said, "The workers are alrady pouring in, everyday in buses trains. They are leaving for Kashmir. More are on the way".
Even as the state chief minister is quiet on the exact kind of action planned, he says the decision to stop the yatra is final.
Chief minister Omar Abdullah said, "Senior minister, security officers have taken a decision and that decision was communicated to you in a press statement. That is it.
The politics over flag hoisting is largely becoming a contest of sorts between different groups and parties and unfortunately the only thing that stands to lose is the fragile peace in the state.

 

[ajtr]

BJP won’t press ahead if J&K stops ‘Ekta Yatra’

With the J&K government indicating that the BJP youth wing’s Ekta Yatra would be prevented from entering the state, the partys leadership is preparing to terminate the march peacefully if it is stopped. A message has been sent out to the yatris not to resort to violence in the event of it being blocked at the state’s border.

Sources said senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley conveyed the message to youth wing chief Anurag Thakur, who is leading the yatra to hoist the national flag at Srinagar’s Lal Chowk, a plan that CM Omar Abdullah wants the BJP to drop as he fears such a move could hurtle the valley into yet another spell of violence.

 

[SpArK]

^^^

Battling alone seeking attention?

 

[ajtr]

Unwise Political Opportunism

BJPs refusal to desist from their plans to hold their own flag-hoisting function in Srinagar on the Republic Day carries the risk of causing a set-back to the improving trend in J&K
B. RAMAN

It is hoped that good sense will prevail on the leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and they will give up their plans to hold their own flag-hoisting function in the Lal Chowk of Srinagar on the Republic Day on January 26.

They, like any other Indian, have a right to hold a flag-hoisting function anywhere in the country where Indian citizens are allowed to hoist the national flag without disturbing public peace. Under certain circumstances, this right, however legitimate, cannot be exercised. For example, when there is a curfew at the place where the flag is proposed to be hoisted.

One can understand the BJP's determination to go to Lal Chowk to hoist the flag if the local government or the government of India or the nationalist political parties of the state refrain from observing the Republic Day by hoisting the national flag.

That is not going to be so. The governments--the state as well as the central-- the various national institutions such as the Armed Forces and the central para-military and police forces and the nationalist political parties are going to observe the Republic Day by hoisting the national flag.

Only separatist elements, which challenge the unity of India, will not be doing so. The successful holding of the flag-hoisting functions by those mentioned in the previous para would be a fitting reply to the attempt of the separatists to organise a boycott of the Republic Day.

Yet one more function by BJP elements from outside the state is not going to add to the sanctity and the nationalist significance of the day. On the contrary, it is going to add to the difficulties of the security forces in maintaining law and order in view of possible attempts by separatist elements to disrupt the BJP's Lal Chowk function. If the BJP wants to help the security forces in maintaining law and order, it should refrain from actions such as holding a function of its own in the Lal Chowk.

Moreover, the ground situation in the valley, which looked so pessimistic till a few months ago due to violence by stone-pelting elements in separatist processions, is showing some positive signs. Such incidents have come down. People are once again going about their normal tasks. There is a greater willingness to join the police instead of boycotting it as was often done in the past.

It is not yet normalcy in Srinagar, but a trend towards it. All right-thinking nationalist elements, whether resident in Jammu & Kashmir or outside, have a patriotic responsibility to contribute to a strengthening of this trend in order to convince the separatist elements that the time has come for a re-thinking on their objectives and tactics.

The separatists and the instigators of violence from Pakistan will be looking for an opportunity to create a set-back for the nationalist forces in order to revert to the kind of situation that prevailed till some months ago. The security forces are hoping against hope that they will be able to sustain the present trend towards an improvement and that political leaderships will come out with appropriate policies, gestures and actions towards the same end.

When almost all other political parties sense the delicate nature of the present situation and are conducting themselves with political maturity and a sense of nationalist responsibility, it is a pity that the BJP alone should conduct itself with unwise political opportunism in utter disregard of the advice and entreaties from others to give up the proposed course of action and should refuse to desist from actions that carry the risk of causing a set-back to the improving trend.

It is the bounden duty of all of us outside the state to strengthen the hands of the nationalist elements in the state which have been countering the separatists with great courage. By their unwise obstinacy, the BJP elements could end up be creating a situation that could weaken the hands of the local nationalist elements.

It is not the time for the BJP to flaunt its patriotism. All of us are patriots. It is time for it to conduct itself with wisdom and a sense of responsibility.

B. Raman is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai.