While a number people are being arrested for allegedly showing disrespect to the national anthem, no action has been taken against a Trinamool Congress MLA Vaishali Dalmiya who was caught attending her phone while the national anthem was being played at a sporting event in Howrah city of West Bengal.
Branding the incident as unfortunate, BJP leader Nalin Kohli told ANI here that more than the law, what was important was respecting the national sentiment.
“If we do not show respect to our own national anthem and flag, then what kind of a country are we. And it’s even more ironical happening from a TMC leader because after all, it is Rabindranath Tagore Ji who penned it. And the national anthem emerges from Bengal,” he said.
In the video, you can clearly see her speaking over the phone but she quickly hung up as the camera focused on her. Meanwhile, the other people present in the line were seen singing the national anthem dedicatedly.
Watch The Video Here:
#CaughtOnCam: TMC MLA Vaishali Dalmiya talking on phone during the National Anthem at a sport event in Howrah (West Bengal) (18.12.16) pic.twitter.com/O64ZBoBhhm
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2016
According to reports, Vaishali is the daughter of the ex-President of International Cricket Council and Board of Cricket Council of India.
However, this is not the first time that a politician was seen “disrespecting” the national anthem, as earlier, former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah faced a huge backlash for talking on phone while the national anthem was being played.
Recently, BJP MDMC Mayor Ravinder Singh added to the party’s embarrassment by singing the National Anthem incorrectly.
Meanwhile, in Kerala, at least six people were detained for allegedly showing disrespect to the national anthem and in another incident, a Kerala writer was charged with sedition over a Facebook post that was allegedly disrespectful to the national anthem.
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