BJP leader: Now is the time to teach 'bharatiyata' in Kashmir

Following the Jammu and Kashmir government's order to hoist the national flag at all government buildings, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kavinder Gupta has said the earlier the union territory didn't have a single man who hailed 'Mother India' and that now is the time to teach "bharatiyata" in the region.

Speaking to ANI, Gupta also said that following the abrogation of Article 370, the incidents of shutdown and stone-pelting have stopped in Jammu and Kashmir.

"After Article 370 repeal, shutdowns and incidents of stone-pelting have stopped. Now we need to teach bharatiyata. The Indian flag is our pride and it's wrong if it isn't hoisted in Kashmir. The concept of the state flag has ended now."

"It is unfortunate that we couldn't find a single man there (in Kashmir) who hails Mother India even after spending crores of rupees in the last 70 years. But the situation has changed now," he added.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has directed the district officers of the union territory to ensure that the national flag is hoisted on all government buildings and establishments under their jurisdiction.

The Deputy Commissioner (DC) Anantnag on Friday issued a circular that mandated hoisting of the national flag on all government buildings and offices across the district within 15 days positively.

The office of DC Anantnag said that it has been impressed upon all-district, sectoral, tehsil, and block-level officers to ensure compliance.

"The government of India, to bring awareness amongst the people and also in the organizations or agencies of the government, in regard to laws, practices, and conventions that apply to the display of the national flag, has defined a Flag Code of India, 2002," said the circular issued by DC.

According to the circular, in pursuance of part III of the Code, it is impressed upon all District or Pectoral Heads or Tehsil or Block level officers to ensure that national flag is flown on all government offices buildings across the district within 15 days positively.

The circular directed district heads to submit the information related to hoisting, on a daily basis in a format that included the name of the district, the total number of official buildings in the district, number of national flags hoisted as on date, and the percentage of completion.

(ANI)

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