Mufti government withdraws controversial circular on state flag

Under fire from political parties, the Mufti Mohammad Sayeed government on Friday withdrew the controversial circular asking constitutional authorities to maintain the sanctity of the state flag, saying it was not approved by a “competent authority”.

The government said appropriate administrative action will be taken after enquiry into the circumstances leading to the issuing of this circular.

“The draft of the circular was not approved by the competent authority before issue of the same on 12th March, 2015, and as such stands withdrawn with immediate effect,” an official spokesman said.

“Appropriate administrative action will be taken after enquiry into the circumstances leading to the issuing of this circular,” he added.

The Jammu Kashmir government under the leadership of Mufti Mohammed Sayeed had stirred yet another controversy by issuing an order directing all buildings housing constitutional institutions and the official vehicles of constitutional authorities to display the state flag alongside the national tricolour.

A circular was issued by the general administration department of the state government on Thursday evening making the constitutional authorities aware of the requirement of hoisting the state flag alongside the tricolour.

“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,” the order read.

MUST READ: Mufti is no stranger to controversy

The order further stated that under Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Insult to State Honors Act 1979, it amounts to an insult if the state flag is not hoisted alongside the Union flag.

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 flag shall always be hoisted jointly on the buildings housing constitutional institutions and shall be used on the official cars of constitutional authorities, it further read.

A similar controversy had erupted in 2003 when some ministers had stopped hoisting the state flag on their official vehicles alongside the national flag. 

-- With inputs from Mukhtar Ahmad