2010 Republic Day Controversy
The BJP youth wing, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), announced its plan to start a march called "Ektha Yatra", from Kolkata, Bengal to Srinagar, to unite Indians in "Kashmir Issue" & show Pak separatists that the Kashmir is an integral part of India, by hoisting the Tricolour in Lal Chowk on Republic day 26 January 2011 as a challenge to Pakistani separatists, who hoisted Pakistani flag in the same place. But ruling party at center, Congress & state ruling party, National Conference didn't want it. They think it may create unrest in the Kashmir valley. This created the controversy.
Center & state ruling Govts took various steps to stop hoisting of tricolour. Trains carrying BJPYM members to Srinagar were stopped & sent back at the beginning of their journey. So many BJP members failed to reach Srinagar. But still top leaders of BJP, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley & many others led the march until they were stopped while entering Jammu & Kashmir from Punjab through the bridge of River Ravi on 25 January. Later all the members in the rally were arrested and were kept in custody in Jammu until evening of next day.
Security personnel were asked to heavily cordon the Lal Chowk area on Republic day. But some BJP workers reached Srinagar and hoisted flag near it but not exactly on the tower in Lal-Chowk.
Read more about this topic: Lal Chowk
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