Flag hoisting by BJP in Lal Chowk a political gimmickry: J&K minister

BJP's plans of hoisting the national flag at Lal Chowk on Republic Day is a "political gimmick" and any attempt to provoke people will not be allowed, a minister in Omar Abdullah-led government in Jammu and Kashmir said today.

"They (BJP) have been doing this political gimmickry… probably they want to draw political mileage out of it," minister for medical education RS Chib told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Srinagar.

Chib, who is a senior Congress leader, said it was not the first time that the opposition party at the Centre had indulged in political gimmickry, apparently referring to 1992 Republic day when BJP leaders Murli Manohar Joshi and Narender Modi were airlfited to hoist the national flag at Lal Chowk.

He said government will not allow the BJP to hoist the flag, as it will provoke people "unnecessarily".

"Definitely, we are not going to allow things, by which the people get provoked unnecessarily and it has no meaning at all," he said.

Chib said there was no need for the BJP to come here as the tricolour will be hoisted in the state and Republic day parade will be held across the state.