Mehbooba Mufti disrespecting Indian flag; Article 370 won't be restored: Prasad

NEW DELHI: The BJP on Saturday accused PDP president Mehbooba Mufti of "disrespecting" the Indian flag and asserted that the revocation of Article 370 was done constitutionally and that it will not be restored.
Her comments that she will not hold the tricolour till the Kashmiri flag is restored is "downright denunciation" of the national flag's sanctity, senior BJP leader and Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister had on Friday said that she was not interested in contesting elections or holding the tricolour, the national flag, till the constitutional changes enforced on August 5 last year were rolled back.

She said she would hold the tricolour only when the separate flag of the erstwhile state is restored.

Prasad asserted that Article 370, which gave the erstwhile state a special status and was revoked last year, will not be restored.

It was removed following a proper constitutional process and both Houses of Parliament approved it with overwhelming numbers, he said.

Revoking it was our commitment to the nation and people have appreciated it, he said.

In many ways, Mufti has shown serious disrespect to the very image of India which the tricolour represents, he added.

The minister also hit out at other opposition parties, saying they have maintained a stony silence at her remarks showing serious disrespect to the national flag, even as they criticise the saffron party at the "slightest of issues".

"This is hypocrisy and double standard," Prasad said.

He claimed that the revocation of the Article 370 has led to increased development in the union territory with the weaker sections of society, like SCs, STs, OBCs and women, enjoying the same rights that they do in the rest of the country.

People participated in local polls in Jammu and Kashmir with joy and happiness, he said.

"Some people and families who used to rule with impunity and without accountability are going to have problems," he said.