The Hindu : Flag issue rocks Assembly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 27, 2003

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Other States - Jammu & Kashmir

Flag issue rocks Assembly

By Shujaat Bukhari

JAMMU FEB. 26. The issue of the Jammu and Kashmir Ministers not using the State flag rocked the Assembly today with the National Conference (NC) members accusing the ruling coalition of showing "disrespect to the State Constitution".

As soon as the House assembled for question hour, the NC MLA, Saifullah Mir, was on his toes protesting against Ministers not using the State flag on their official cars. Other party members joined him and there was a lot of commotion for some time. They particularly referred to the Education Minister, Harsh Dev Singh, whose Panther's Party had said it would bring a Bill in the House to replace the `plough' symbol on the State flag with the `Star' since the `plough' was the NC's election symbol and was on the party flag also.

The State flag is different, having three white strips and also the `plough' on the red base which resembles the NC symbol. The NC legislature party, which met here on Tuesday, deliberated on the issue and members were asked to raise the issue in the House.

When the NC members continued to shout and did not listen to the Speaker, Tara Chand, the CPI (M) MLA, M.Y. Tarigami, intervened and asked the Speaker to issue instructions in this regard.

Later, Mr. Chand directed all Ministers to use the State flag along with the national flag on their official cars. Most of the Congress Ministers and even the Deputy Chief Minister, Mangat Ram Sharma, had not been using the State flag.

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