Samajwadi Party (SP)?President Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday urged people to hoist the national flag from their houses from August 9 to 15 as he accused the BJP of feigning to respect the tri-color.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had earlier announced the celebration of an ‘Independence Week’ from Aug 11-17 with the slogan 'Har Ghar Tiranga.' Yadav in a statement issued here appealed to the public to hoist the national flag a week ahead of Independence Day and questioned the BJP’s patriotic credentials.

"Those who had no role in the freedom movement of the country are working in name of patriotism. What respect will they give to the martyrs when they were not even distantly associated with the freedom movement?... The truth is that the BJP and its parent organization RSS have never had any respect for the national flag... Why was the national flag not being hoisted from the Nagpur headquarters of the Sangh? The BJP and RSS are engaged in spreading confusion among people," Yadav said.?

He also said the week ahead of Independence Day will be dedicated to the memory of the freedom movement during which people should pay homage to the martyrs, the Indian Constitution, and the democratic system.

?Yadav called August 9 a historic date, saying this was the day when Mahatma Gandhi launched the Quit India movement in 1942. He said that the dream of ‘August Kranti’ was to establish the rule of farmers, laborers, and youths in the country to ensure everyone a life of rights and dignity. The responsibility of realizing this dream, and protecting and re-establishing of the constitutional values and ideals of the national movement, has again fallen on the common citizens and “socialists,” he said.

?The SP chief said that the commitment of his party towards democracy and the Constitution is well known and co-opting of the national flag by the "power hungry" could not be accepted.?Meanwhile, preparations to give a grand look to BJP's 'Har Ghar Tiranga' event were in full swing.