Jammu: Congress on Friday demanded explanation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the PDP government directing constitutional authorities to maintain the sanctity of the state flag, even as BJP said some parties were making a mountain out of a molehill.
Congress attacked BJP, alliance partner in J-K government, saying that "the party compromised with its basic principles and sold its identity to PDP".
"They have surrendered to PDP. They have forgotten their slogan of 'Ek Vidhan, Ek Pradhan, Ek Nishaan' (one constitution, one president, and one national emblem) and the sacrifice of Syama Prasad Mukherjee.
"PM owes an explanation as he strongly batted for patriotism in Parliament a few days back," Spokesperson of Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee Rashid Choudhary told reporters here.
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed-led J-K government had yesterday directed all constitutional authorities to maintain the sanctity of the state flag by displaying it alongside the national tricolour.
Jammu and Kashmir has a separate constitution and a separate flag due to the state's special status unlike other states.
"Since day one PDP is the stick holder which is pushing its agenda. BJP appears to have compromised on their basic ideology on all the issues," Choudhary said.
"With the Mufti government's advisory pertaining the state flag BJP stands exposed before the people of Jammu region and the country for its double standards," he said.
Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers party (JKNPP) also hit out at BJP for "sitting silent over the issue of advisory" and demanded the prime minister to justify his party's support to PDP in J&K.
BJP, however, sought to downplay the controversy and said that "some political parties were making a mountain out of a molehill."
"The controversy sought to be raised with regard to the circular issued by General Administrative Department (GAD) of the J-K Government for displaying the state flag alongside the national tricolour is not justified. It is like making a mountain out of a molehill," party's chief spokesperson Sunil Sethi said.
"As per the Delhi Agreement of 1952, it had been provided by Clause IV that the state of Jammu and Kashmir will have its own flag, keeping in view the historical background, and it will be displayed along with the national flag," he said.
"This is also the stated position of law as on today and it has only been notified in the circular," Sethi said, adding that it was neither a new law nor a new provision.
Sethi said, "Some political parties and organizations are making it an issue but they should remember that both the flags have been displayed together since 1952 by successive governments in Jammu and Kashmir and by all ministers, legislators of all political parties."
