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What? Tricolor will not be hoisted on Republic Day?!?

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Yup. That's true. The Tricolor - more adorably termed the Tiranga - will not be hoisted this Republic Day. Can you believe it? I could not and am shocked!

You should have already guessed the location by now; exactly, it is Lal Chowk in Srinagar. And no, this is not new. The tradition of flag-hoisting has already been obstructed last year.

This year's controversy began with the BJP and the Abdullahs exchanging tirades. Abdullah junior announcing that "peace will be disturbed in Kashmir Valley, if the BJP hoists national flag" with Abdullah senior separately berating the BJP and BJP retorting to it.

BJP will unfurl the Tricolor and not it's party flag. So why the hullabaloo? But Omar Abdullah wisely asks "officials and elected members will be unfurling the national flag across the state, why should the BJP do it?"

We are asking, "Why not?" Mr Abdullah, sir. What's the problem with unfurling the national flag on the Republic Day? Is it now wrong for the BJP to do it? Please dont try to fool us with the "it will affect peace" nonsense. If there is any disruption of peace in the valley, it will be solely due to your ineptitude (or connivance may be?) and not due to the unfurling of the Tricolor by any particular party.

Even more irritating is the ripples in response to this controversy, among the literates who are so, damn easily impressionable. Many of these Indians are so generous in offering their support to NOT hoist the Tiranga!

God knows what happened to their ability to think and ask questions! Undoubtedly, such people clearly don't understand even the meaning of national pride. For these are the same citizen patriots who wave the plastic flags at the Republic Day parade one day and trash them the next day. Therefore, it would be too much to request them to understand the importance of safeguarding borders and territory.

Since they are so willing to offer a piece of their country to our gracious neighbours, they should be generous to offer their homes too - in part or full - to someone who forcibly occupies it and starts building walls across their halls.


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