Won’t stand disrespect of national flag, says former PDP MP Bajwa

TS Bajwa former MLC Ved Mahajan and former state secretary Choudhary Hussain Ali Wafa had resigned from PDP on October 26 over party president Mehbooba Mufti’s “provocative remarks” against the tricolour.

Former People’s Democratic Party (PDP) MP TS Bajwa on Thursday said that he along with former MLC Ved Mahajan and former state secretary Choudhary Hussain Ali Wafa would never tolerate disrespect to the national flag.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti had recently said she was not interested in contesting elections or holding the tricolour till the constitutional changes enforced on August 5 last year were rolled back. (HT File)

Outraged over PDP president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti’s “highly provocative remarks” against the tricolour, the three senior leaders had resigned from the party on October 26.

Addressing media persons here, Bajwa, flanked by Mahajan and Wafa, said, “We will never tolerate disrespect of the tricolour. It is national pride. We can sacrifice our lives for it. Therefore, we resigned from PDP in protest against Mehbooba’s provocative remarks about the Indian flag.”

Bajwa, however, admitted that they had been feeling suffocated in the party, especially after the joining of certain persons he didn’t name. “I remained with Mufti sahib for 35 years. Things were different then, but for the past few years we were not being heard which is why we took this step,” he said.

Bajwa also demanded that the statehood should be restored to J&K, besides being critical of BJP’s hasty decision of abrogating Articles 370 and 35-A.