JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav on Monday called on his party’s alliance partner, the BJP, to give up its plan to hoist the national flag at Srinagar’s Lal Chowk on Republic Day, saying that matters related to Kashmir were “sensitive” in nature.
Mr Yadav told reporters he had earlier advised senior BJP leaders against the Srinagar yatra, and would again appeal to them to give up the yatra.
In Patna, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar also said he did not support the BJP’s plans.
“Given the kind of tension that is prevailing in the Valley, this yatra has no meaning and I don’t support this”, Mr Kumar said.
Mr Yadav said in New Delhi: “Peace in the Valley has come by the efforts of the people and not due to any government.” The Srinagar flag-hoisting, he said, was not a NDA programme, only a BJP one.