0 months ago
Omar Abdullah calls upside-down flag a mistake, BJP demands action
India has a special flag called the Tricolour with three colourful stripes, and there are rules about how to hold it — the orange stripe must always be on top.
A leader named Mehbooba Mufti was at a peaceful protest and held the flag the wrong way, with the orange stripe at the bottom.
Some people were upset because showing the flag upside down breaks the rules.
The protest was about the Indian government taking away special rules that the region of Jammu and Kashmir used to have.
Some government leaders were very angry and asked for punishment, and one leader even called Mehbooba a harsh name.
Her party said that was unfair and that she had been treated badly.
Another leader, Omar Abdullah, said he believes she did not do it on purpose and that it was probably just a mistake.
People from her own party said the photo was taken at a bad moment, before she could hold the flag properly.
Now, officials are checking whether any punishment is needed, but no decision has been made yet.
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti was seen holding the national flag upside down during a sit-in outside the PDP headquarters in Srinagar on August 4 night.
The protest, organised on the eve of the seventh anniversary of the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, opposed the removal of Jammu and Kashmir's special autonomous status.
BJP leaders, including Union Minister Giriraj Singh and J&K BJP president Sat Paul Sharma, pressed for legal action, with Singh calling Mufti a 'terrorist'.
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said he cannot accept that a former chief minister would deliberately display the flag upside down, calling it an inadvertent mistake.
PDP sources denied any insult, saying photographs were taken before Mufti could properly display flags she had taken out of her bag.
- Who
- PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister; Omar Abdullah, J&K Chief Minister; BJP leaders Giriraj Singh and Sat Paul Sharma
- What
- Mufti was seen holding an inverted national flag during a protest; BJP leaders pressed for legal action while Omar Abdullah called it an inadvertent mistake
- Where
- Outside the PDP headquarters in Srinagar; reactions also came from Jammu
- When
- The sit-in took place on the night of August 4; reactions followed on August 5, with the report datelined August 5
- Why
- The sit-in marked the eve of the seventh anniversary of the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, which removed Jammu and Kashmir's special autonomous status
Critics demanding action
Supporters calling it a mistake
Intent behind the inverted flag
Critics demanding action
BJP leaders such as Giriraj Singh and Sat Paul Sharma treated the inverted display as an insult to the national flag and a Flag Code violation, demanding strict legal action.
Supporters calling it a mistake
Omar Abdullah, Ramdas Athawale and PDP sources said the display was likely inadvertent or a misinterpreted photo, and that authorities should first determine intent.
Giriraj Singh's 'terrorist' remark
Critics demanding action
Singh attacked Mufti as a 'terrorist' who had 'sided with terrorists for so long,' and said the BJP had earlier tried to set her on the right path.
Supporters calling it a mistake
PDP MLA Waheed Ur Rehman Para called the remark 'outrageous' and 'irresponsible,' saying such language against a former chief minister and senior Muslim woman leader reflected prejudice and political intolerance.
Abrogation of Article 370
Critics demanding action
BJP framed the abrogation as a historic moment comparable to Independence Day and Republic Day, fulfilling Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's vision of 'one nation, one flag, one prime minister, and one constitution.'
Supporters calling it a mistake
Mufti renewed the demand for restoration of Articles 370 and 35A, describing them as essential to Jammu and Kashmir's identity, while the National Conference's Tanvir Sadiq mocked her reversal in stance.
Key facts
- Controversy
- Mehbooba Mufti held the national flag upside down during a sit-in, violating the Flag Code of India
- Protest
- Candlelight sit-in outside the PDP headquarters in Srinagar after police blocked a march to Lal Chowk
- Occasion
- Eve of the seventh anniversary of the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A (August 2019)
- Flag Code rule
- Saffron band on top, white with the 24-spoke navy blue Ashoka Chakra in the middle, green at the bottom
- Legal status
- Officials examining possible legal action; no FIR or confirmed proceedings reported as of filing
- BJP response
- Giriraj Singh called Mufti a 'terrorist'; Sat Paul Sharma demanded strict legal action
- Moderate response
- Omar Abdullah called the display an inadvertent mistake; Ramdas Athawale urged determining intent first
- PDP response
- Denied any insult, saying photos were taken before Mufti could properly display flags from her bag
Quotes
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister
“"Those who once claimed there would be no one left to hold the Tricolour are now in such a hurry to wave it that they can’t even hold it the right way up."”
deccanchronicle.com
“I cannot accept that someone who has served as the chief minister would deliberately display the national flag upside down.”
theprint.in
Sources
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