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BJP Leader's Photo With Upside-Down Tricolour Sparks Outrage

BJP Leader's Photo With Upside-Down Tricolour Sparks Outrage
India. Jammu & Kashmir state, up in the extreme north of the country. Indian flag flying over Kargil War memorial, built by the Indian Army, in Drass, (3230 m), in the foothills of the Tololing Hill. The memorial, located about 5 km from the city centre across the Tiger Hill, commemorates the martyrs of the Kargil War. The names of the soldiers who lost their lives in the War are inscribed on the Memorial Wall and can be read by visitors. A giant national flag, weighing 15 kg was hoisted at the Kargil war memorial to commemorate the 13th anniversary of India's victory in the war. The town shot into prominence in the summer of 1999 following Pakistani army incursions into Jammu and Kashmir. The ensuing Kargil War saw Drass being shelled by the Pakistani army and the war ended with the Indian Army recapturing the areas surrounding the town. Drass is also famous for being the second coldest inhabited place in the world, and winter temperatures are sometimes known to plummet to less than minus 40 degrees.
Christine Pemberton via Getty Images
India. Jammu & Kashmir state, up in the extreme north of the country. Indian flag flying over Kargil War memorial, built by the Indian Army, in Drass, (3230 m), in the foothills of the Tololing Hill. The memorial, located about 5 km from the city centre across the Tiger Hill, commemorates the martyrs of the Kargil War. The names of the soldiers who lost their lives in the War are inscribed on the Memorial Wall and can be read by visitors. A giant national flag, weighing 15 kg was hoisted at the Kargil war memorial to commemorate the 13th anniversary of India's victory in the war. The town shot into prominence in the summer of 1999 following Pakistani army incursions into Jammu and Kashmir. The ensuing Kargil War saw Drass being shelled by the Pakistani army and the war ended with the Indian Army recapturing the areas surrounding the town. Drass is also famous for being the second coldest inhabited place in the world, and winter temperatures are sometimes known to plummet to less than minus 40 degrees.

In an embarrassing situation for the Bharatiya Janata Party, the mayor of Jalandhar was seen photographed with the Indian national flag placed upside-down in his own office.

Mayor Sunil Jyoti, a BJP leader, was seen sitting in his office with the Punjab government's blue flag on one side and the upside-down tricolour on the other side. According to The Indian Express, the photo had already been shared on social media groups and WhatsApp before someone pointed out that the tricolour wasn't placed correctly.

The mayor is now being trolled on social media — especially since the BJP and RSS have previously aggressively stoked the ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ controversy.

Jyoti has claimed that he did not notice the flag hanging upside-down and wasn’t aware about who had posted the photos on social media sites. “I have written a letter to the Commissioner Corporation to investigate who has done this,” he told Indian Express.

Now, the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal have reportedly demanded action against the mayor and have also sought a public apology from the BJP. The Congress Sewa Dal also filed a police complaint against the mayor.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.