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PM warns against divisive agendas,
BJP dismisses appeal
Saturday January 22, 2011 11:02:43 PM,
IANS
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New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janta Party Friday dismissed Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh's appeal to refrain from "promoting divisive agendas" on
Republic Day, saying they were "dismayed" by his statement,
terming it as support for those "voicing anti-India sentiments".
"It is not an occasion to score political points, to embarrass the
state and local administrations, to create situations that could
lead to entirely avoidable problems, or to promote divisive
agendas," Manmohan Singh said while stressing that Republic Day is
"a solemn occasion".
"It is my hope that all our citizens and political parties will
heed this call and will do nothing that will disturb peace and
harmony, or detract in any way from the dignity of Republic Day,"
the prime minister said in a statement.
It was "all the more important to observe maximum restraint
particularly in a sensitive state like Jammu and Kashmir,"
Manmohan Singh said. It was a veiled reference to to 'Ekta Yatra'
planned by the BJP's youth wing to proceed to Srinagar to hoist
the national tricolour at the historic Lal Chowk.
Unfazed by pleas by the Jammu and Kashmir government, which has
made it clear that it will not allow hoisting of the national flag
by BJP on that day, the main opposition party is going ahead with
the plan.
"We are taken aback by the stand taken by prime minister virtually
siding with those who are opposing hoisting the national flag and
voicing anti-India sentiments," said BJP spokesman Rajiv Pratap
Rudy in a statement.
He asked the prime minister whether hoisting the national flag
anywhere in India is "anti-national".
"By voicing such an insensitive reaction, the PM is emboldening
the separatist which will make separatist across and within
celebrate. We are still more astonished where an act of hoisting
national flag is being equated by the PM as a scramble to score
political points," said Rudy.
The BJP spokesperson suggested that the prime minister was
"hinting" towards "reverting to the pre-1953 status".
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