A photograph of the Bharatiya Janata Party flag being placed over the national tricolour over the mortal remains of former chief minister Kalyan Singh before the cremation at Bulandshahr on Monday, kicked up a controversy on social media with Uttar Pradesh Congress leaders criticising the ruling party claiming it was an insult to the national flag.
The photo, tweeted by the BJP, showed Singh’s body, draped by the tricolour, but half of it was seen to be covered up by the BJP flag. The party flag was reportedly placed on Singh's body over the national flag by BJP president JP Nadda and BJP state chief Swatantra Dev Singh.
Targeting BJP over the controversy, UP Congress spokesman Amarnath Agarwal said that the BJP leaders always acted as if they were above the nation and Monday’s incident only reflected their mindset.
"Party flag above the national tricolour is a glaring example of what respect the self-proclaimed patriots and nationalists have in their minds. It is an insult to the national flag but the BJP as usual has no regret, no repentance, no sorrow and no grief. Just tell me, is it okay to place the BJP flag over the Indian flag in a new India?" Agarwal sought to know.
"As one who had to fight a court case for four years merely for placing my hand on my heart during the singing of the national anthem rather than standing stiffly to attention, I think the nation should be told how the ruling party feels about this insult," tweeted Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on the issue on Monday.
It is noteworthy that Section 2 of Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act says: "Whoever in any public place or in any other place within public view burns, mutilates, defaces, defiles, disfigures, destroys, tramples upon or otherwise shows disrespect to or brings into contempt (whether by words, either spoken or written, or by acts) the Indian National Flag or the Constitution of India or any part thereof, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both."
Earlier this year, an instance of disrespect to the flag had taken place at the iconic Red Fort during the farmers' rally. After the farmers entered the forecourt of the Fort, climbed its ramparts, and hoisted a religious flag on a mast outside, the Centre said it would “not tolerate disrespect to the national flag”.