Jammu, Jul 15 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina lashed out at PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday over her "divisive" politics and said the national flag flies and thrives in the heart of everyone in the Union Territory.

Mufti had expressed reservation over the hoisting of the national flag in every house in Jammu and Kashmir under the "Har Ghar Janda" campaign and said "they are forcing into our houses to hoist the tricolour".

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"They are not respecting the tricolour this way. We accepted the flag when we went with India. What is this horrible tricolour-hoisting thing," she had said.

Talking to reporters here, Raina said, "The tricolour flies and thrives in the heart of every resident of Jammu and Kashmir. Tiranga is our identity."

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said "Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav" is an initiative of the Centre to commemorate 75 glorious years of a progressive India and its rich history, diverse population, magnificent culture and great achievements.

On the occasion, people all over the country are unfurling the national flag, he said, adding "Similarly, all the residents of Jammu and Kashmir will also unfurl the tricolour at their homes. However, this pious exercise is making former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti restless."

Nevertheless, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief must understand that the "tricolour is our identity, it lives in our breath and is our pride", Raina said.

"Mohammad Maqbool Shervani forced the Pakistanis to flee Kashmir in 1947. The tricolour belongs to all of us irrespective of region or religion. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians -- the tricolour flies and thrives in the heart of every resident of Jammu and Kashmir," he added.

"Mufti comes up with similar plots every time on such occasions to play her divisive politics. She knows that Jammu and Kashmir is about to witness Assembly polls in the near future and hence, she and others like her are trying to vitiate the atmosphere and make people fight among themselves in the name of region and religion," Raina said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)