Cong & Thackeray must clarify NC's promise on separate flag & Article 370: Ashish Shelar

Mumbai, Aug 24 (IANS) Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar has asked Shiv Sena UBT and Congress whether they agree to the National Conference’s (NC) promise in its poll manifesto to again create a separate flag for Kashmir and reinstate Article 370.

“Assuring a separate flag for Kashmir when the entire country is united under the Tricolor flag seems to be the ‘Tukde Tukde’ gang at work again,” he claimed.

He said that ‘Ek Desh Mein Do Vidhan, Do Nishan, Do Pradhan Nahi Chalenge’ (can't have two constitutions, two prime ministers and two flags).

“This is the stance of the BJP since Jan Sangh. The Congress leadership and Uddhav Thackeray, should clarify whether they agree with this assurance of the NC,” said Shelar.

He further stated that the NC has taken this “anti-national stance to get votes in the Assembly elections.

“NC has also given an assurance in its manifesto that it will reimpose the articles 370 and 35A. This means bringing back the status quo in the state. There is also a question whether this assurance is supported by Congress and Uddhav Thackeray?” he asked.

Shelar said NC has promised to forget the historical, religious and cultural importance of Shankaracharya Hill and would rename it as Takht-e-Sulaiman. At the same time, the promise of changing the name of Hari Parbat to Koh-e-Maran has also been given in the manifesto.

“Uddhav Thackeray recently invited a Shankaracharya to his residence. It is necessary to clarify whether he supports this name change. Similarly, the Congress should clarify its stand on the change of these names,” said Shelar.

Shelar said that the NC in its manifesto has also promised to reconsider the policy of reservation.

“After the repeal of Article 370, the Dalit community, the Gujjar and the Bakarwal communities have started getting reservations as per the Constitution. Congress and Uddhav Thackeray must clarify their stand in this regard. The people of Maharashtra want to know whether Congress and Uddhav Thackeray support this program of ‘Tukhai-Tukde’ gang,” he added.