A man named Amandeep Singh was arrested in Jammu today for attempting to hoist the national flag on the headquarters of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) during a protest against PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti who denounced the national flag days after being released from detention.
Last month, Singh had hoisted the national flag on the boundary wall near the main entrance of the PDP office. Singh and some other youths were stopped by police the next day when they attempted to hoist the Indian flag on the party’s headquarters.
Confirming Singh’s detention Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Jammu, Sridhar Patil said that Singh had been detained under some other case and not for disturbing law and order. The details of charges against Singh were not disclosed by police. Singh claimed that he was being arrested by police under PDP’s pressure. A team of police led by SHO Gandhinagar had raided Singh’s house and taken him along.
Singh’s father all who went to Gandhinagar police station after his son’s arrest alleged that he was not allowed to meet his son. “They are not allowing me to meet my son. I have the right to know under which case they have booked my son. This is the worst state of rule in which patriots and nationalists unfurling the tricolour are being sent to jail”, said Singh’s father. Questioning Singh’s arrest his wife asked, “Is this a lesson for being a nationalist and hoisting the national flag”.
Mehbooba Mufti’s refusal to hoist the national flag
PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti had refused to honour the tricolour days after being released from detention. She said that she would not raise the national flag until the flag of Jammu and Kashmir is restored. Interacting with media Mufti had said “My flag is this” pointing at the flag of Jammu and Kashmir kept on a table in front of her. “Our relationship with India’s flag is linked to our relationship with Jammu and Kashmir’s flag. It’s not an independent relationship. The national flag is here only because of this (the Jammu and Kashmir) flag and constitution”, she said.
Following Mufti’s remarks, BJP workers had hoisted the national flag in front of the PDP office and chanted slogans of “Bharat Mata ki jai”. Three senior PDP leaders, namely Trilok Singh Bajwa, Ved Mahajan and Wafa reportedly resigned in protest against Mufti’s statements against the Indian flag and the Indian Union.
