A day after the Jammu & Kashmir Government issued a circular directing all the constitutional authorities to maintain the sanctity of the State flag at par with the Union flag, the same was withdrawn as it failed to get the approval of the Competent Authority.
According to State Government spokesperson, “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circular was not approved by the Competent Authority before issue of the same on 12th March, 2015 and as such stands withdrawn with immediate effect”.
The State Government has also ordered an enquiry to look in to the the circumstances leading to the issuing of this circular, he added. Mufti Mohd Sayeed-led State Government faced lot of criticism after it issued the circular directing the constitutional authorities to use the State flag in all their official cars, offices and buildings with dignity.
The act was seen as another provocation to embarrass its alliance partner BJP ahead of the beginning of the Budget Session. The BJP has been chanting slogan of ‘ek vidhan, ek pradhan, ek nishan’ since it launched struggle against Abrogation of Article 370, which grants special status to the Jammu & Kashmir in the Indian Constitution.
“The State Government is pursuing since December 11, 2013 a court case in the J&K High Court, wherein the petitioner has prayed for a direction that the Republic Day of the J&K should be celebrated as the State Constitution was adopted and became enforceable,” spokesperson said.
It was also prayed that all the constitutional authorities be commanded to use the Flag of the State in all their official cars, offices and buildings with dignity and honor demonstrating the sanctity of the flag.
The spokesman added that the State Government had not responded to the case and had not filed a reply as desired by the court. The court gave the State Government a last chance to file a reply on or before it comes up for hearing, which was expected anytime soon.
The spokesman further added that in order to avoid any adverse order in a sensitive constitutional matter, the State Government intended to file an affidavit in the court on Friday contesting all the pleas made by the petitioner. In the affidavit, it stated that it will issue a circular reiterating the respect that is to be accorded to the Union as also the State Flag taking recourse to J&K Prevention of Insult to the State Honour Act, 1979, in the latter case.