New Delhi: As former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh’s body lay in state Sunday, a controversy erupted over the placement of the Tricolour on his casket.
Images from the gathering showed the saffron-and-green flag of the BJP placed over the Tricolour at one point, and social media erupted in criticism.
भाजपा राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष श्री @JPNadda ने लखनऊ में भारतीय जनता पार्टी के वरिष्ठ नेता श्री कल्याण सिंह जी को श्रद्धांजलि अर्पित की। pic.twitter.com/74VfDR75hY
— BJP (@BJP4India) August 22, 2021
The Flag Code of India doesn’t permit any other flag to be placed higher or above the Tricolour.
While Congress MP Shashi Tharoor called the incident an “insult”, Samajwadi Party leader Ghanshyam Tiwari alleged it was typical of the BJP to place the party above nation.
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: https://t.co/F4nO2wKOOz
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 22, 2021
Party above the Nation.
Flag above the Tricolor.#BJP as usual :
no regret, no repentance, no sorrow, no grief.#NationalFlag https://t.co/3bUSiDPJXF
— Ghanshyam Tiwari (@ghanshyamtiwari) August 22, 2021
Youth Congress leader Srinivas B.V. asked if PM Narendra Modi endorsed the placement of the party flag over the national flag.
Was that endorsed by the
Prime Minister of India? pic.twitter.com/qIArbzDXmJ
— Srinivas BV (@srinivasiyc) August 22, 2021
While cartoonist Satish Acharya drew a caricature on the incident, former IAS officer Anil Swarup, once an aide to the former CM, noted that Kalyan Singh himself would have “detested the incident”.
BJP flag placed over tricolor at Kalyan Singh's prayer meet. @newssting1 cartoon pic.twitter.com/xEnvuEofHn
— Satish Acharya (@satishacharya) August 23, 2021
Knowing Late Kalyan Singh ji as well as I did, he would have detested placing party flag over the National Flag. Someone really messed it up here…..and others allowed it to continue. pic.twitter.com/4mzvl0Kltr
— Anil Swarup (@swarup58) August 22, 2021
Former diplomat K.C. Singh was among the others who questioned the flag placement.
Seeing on TV pics of PM paying respects to late Sh.Kalyan Singh. BJP President places BJP flag atop national flag already on casket. Wonder if this is permissible & as per protocol.
— K. C. Singh (@ambkcsingh) August 22, 2021
BJP leader Priti Gandhi appeared to defend the decision as she tweeted Monday that the BJP “fulfilled” Kalyan Singh’s “last wish ‘to be wrapped in the BJP flag’”, taking a potshot at the Congress over its handling of former PM P.V. Narasimha Rao’s funeral.
On one hand, PM Narendra Modi is personally looking into every detail of Kalyan Singh ji's funeral & BJP fulfilled his last wish 'to be wrapped in the BJP flag'.
On the other hand, Congress did not even perform the last rites of Former PM PV Narasimha Rao. #TributeToKalyanJi
— Priti Gandhi – प्रीति गांधी (@MrsGandhi) August 23, 2021
Kalyan Singh was the CM of Uttar Pradesh when the Babri Masjid was demolished. He passed away Saturday night in Lucknow after prolonged illness.
(Edited by Sunanda Ranjan)
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