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Journalism of Courage
In the wake of the BJP youth wings plan to hoist the national flag at Lal Chowk in Srinagar,Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today appealed to political parties to exercise maximum restraint over issues related to sensitive states like Jammu and Kashmir and cautioned against attempts to score political points.
It (Republic Day) is not an occasion to score political points,to embarrass state and local administrations,to create situations that could lead to entirely avoidable problems,or to promote divisive agendas, he said in a statement today.
Pointing out that Republic Day is a solemn occasion,the PM expressed hope that the parties would not indulge in activities that will disturb peace and harmony anywhere in the country.
It is my hope that all our citizens and 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, he said,reminding that it is more important to observe maximum restraint,particularly in a sensitive state like J&K.
While he did not name any particular party in his statement,his appeal clearly seemed to refer to the BJPs Ekta Yatra,led by its youth wing president and Lok Sabha MP Anurag Thakur. The yatra,which started from Kolkata last month,is set to end in Srinagar,where they will hoist the national flag at Lal Chowk.
Referring to the state-specific traditions regarding celebration of Republic Day,the PM said: The significance and solemnity of the occasion demand that these continue to be followed. It is up to the states to ensure that public traditions are honoured and they would be well within their rights to insist upon punctilious adherence.
