Honour state flag along with national flag, J&K govt orders

by Shivendra Singh · March 13, 2015

Miffed by some ministers of the Bharatiya Janata Party for not using state flag on their vehicles along with national flag, the Jammu and Kashmir government has asked constitutional authorities to maintain the sanctity of the state flag.

Sources in the government said the order was issued it was noticed that some BJP ministers are not using state flag on their official cars along with the national flag.

“As per the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir and the Delhi Agreement of 1952 and keeping in view the historical background, the State Flag has the same sanctity and position as the Union Flag has under the Indian Constitution and other statutory provisions. Therefore, this sanctity and position has to be maintained at all costs,” said the order issued by Commissioner Secretary, General Administration Department, Mohammad Ashraf Bukhari.

The order further said that non-hoisting along with the Union Flag amounts to insult to the Flag as per the Provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Insult to State Honors Act 1979. “All the Constitutional Authorities are enjoined upon to maintain the sanctity of the State Flag, at all costs, as is being done in respect of the Union Flag.”

The order stated that the state flag shall always be hoisted jointly on the buildings housing Constitutional Institutions and shall be used on the official cars of Constitutional Authorities. “Any deviation in this regard shall amount to insult to the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Insult to State Honors Act, 1979,” it said.

PDP’s coalition partner BJP has been traditionally seeking repeal of J&K Constitution and their slogan has been ‘One country, one flag, one constitution’. Interestingly, every BJP minister in J&K took oath bearing true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the State.

BJP spokesman, Khalid Jehangir said that the party will abide the laws of the land. “I have myself seen state flags on the official cars of the BJP ministers,” he said.

Source:: Indian Express