Ludhiana teen prevented from unfurling national flag at Srinagar's Lal Chowk

Chandigarh, Aug. 14 (ANI): 15-year-old Ludhiana girl Jhanvi Behal, who vowed to hoist the tricolour at Lal Chowk, on Sunday received dejection as she was detained at the Srinagar airport. The cops told the girl that she cannot step outside the airport as Section 144 is imposed in the city. The girl, who was dressed in a tricolour suit, was later sent back on the same flight from Srinagar. Jhanvi, who made headlines after challenging JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar to a debate on freedom of speech and expression, had last month said that she would hoist the tricolour at Lal Chowk in Srinagar on the occasion of Independence Day. "I had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to allow all his MPs to hoist the national flag in their respective constituencies. He accepted my request and I am happy about that. Only a 'best' Prime Minister like him could have done that," Bahal had told ANI. "I would hoist the tricolour at Lal Chowk in Srinagar on August 15 because that is a place where the national flag was insulted. I challenge all those, including the separatists and the Pakistanis, to stop me if they can," she added. Jhanvi, a student of DAV Public School, Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar, Ludhiana, is an active member of an NGO Raksha Jyoti Foundation and was honoured on Republic Day for her contribution in many projects including Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. In an open challenge, the 15-year-old challenged the JNUSU president to meet her 'wherever and whenever' for the debate. "It is very easy to criticise someone while sitting at home. Kanhaiya should concentrate on working like PM Modi," Jhanvi had said. (ANI)