J&K only state permitted to fly its own flag along with tri-color

Jammu and Kashmir is the only Indian state permitted to fly its own state flag along with the national tri-color flag.The state flag has its origin in events that took place on 13 July 1931 in Srinagar.

On the day 22 Kashmiris protesters were gunned down by the army of autocratic Dogra ruler after the people rose against Maharaja's rule for their rights. It is believed that a blood-tainted shirt of one of the victims was then hoisted by the crowd as the new flag of Kashmir. 

On 11 July 1939, the flag was adopted by National Conference, which is in opposition now. Then on 7 June 1952, a resolution was passed by the Constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir, making it the official flag of the State. 

Through 1952 Delhi agreement, the NC founder late Sheikh Abdullah got the central government to accept the state's constitution and flag. The constitution of Jammu and Kashmir makes it mandatory to hoist the state flag alongside the national flag at all times. The



state has a separate constitution which works under Article 370 of the Constitution of India.

In 2015, a controversy erupted after rightwing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ministers in the J&K refused to hoist the state flag in their offices after government issued a notice saying both flags must be used. BJP leader and deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh said that no flag could be hoisted at an equal level of the national flag of India. 

On the J&K High Court said the state's flag - red and white with three vertical stripes and a plough - must be used on government property along with the tricolor. The order of the single bench was stayed on 1 January 2016 by two judge bench of the HC, after a petition was filed by a BJP leader.

It annoyed BJP's ally, the Peoples Democratic Party, as well as the opposition NC and other Kashmir centric parties, who allege that the BJP is trying to impose its nationalist agenda on a state with a special status.