To show respect to India’s National Flag, Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, on Wednesday refused to cut a Tricolour ribbon at the inaugural ceremony of the government’s Know Your Artisan initiative.
Abdullah, who was invited to the ceremony as the Chief Guest, was asked to cut the ribbon, which was designed as the Indian National Flag. However, after seeing the ribbon, the Chief Minister immediately expressed his dissent and asked the organisers to untie it. At the end, he was seen unfastening it with the help of the organisers.
Abdullah’s action was highly appreciated by the people on social media after a video of the entire incident went viral. However, some of the users also expressed their dissatisfaction with using such a ribbon in a government programme.
TRUE RESPECT LIES IN CONSCIENCE, USERS APPRECIATED OMAR ABDULLAH ON X
Following the incident, a user on the X handle wrote that Abdullah stood by dignity instead of choosing optics.
“True respect isn’t in ceremony, but in conscience. Omar Abdullah chose dignity over optics. A gesture that speaks louder than words,” the user wrote.
Appreciating Abdullah’s gesture, another user praised him as a role model.
Meanwhile, a few users also raised concerns about using a tricolour ribbon in a governmental programme.
WHAT IS KNOW YOUR ARTISAN?
Know Your Artisan is a Jammu and Kashmir government initiative that aims to promote the region’s handicrafts and artistic heritage, under the ‘Soulful Kashmir’ campaign.
“Chief Minister today, under Know Your Artisan – Soulful Kashmir, unveiled a series of transformative initiatives for the handicrafts and handloom sector, including modern testing infrastructure, advanced fibre analysis technology, innovative design software, digital display systems, and a comprehensive brand promotion campaign to enhance the visibility and authenticity of Kashmir’s rich craft heritage,” Chief Minister’s office posted on its official X account, after Abdullah unveiled the initiative.
On Wednesday, Abdullah also inaugurated a new geographical indication (GI) testing lab and giant LED video walls, and launched high-precision fibre analysis equipment and the DesignNWeave software, founded by the Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT) Srinagar.
He inspected the handicrafts and the handloom department’s new ‘Try Your Hands’ initiative, aimed at providing an immersive experience to visitors and tourists. The segment features live demonstrations that seek to acquaint people with the hard work put in by the artisans and the various back-end processes involved in the making of such niche crafts.
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Inputs from PTI
