Union minister writes to Kejriwal over ‘disrespect’ to national flag

In a letter sent on Thursday, culture minister Prahlad Singh Patel said the green stripe in the Tricolour displayed behind Kejriwal during his televised appearances was distorted and enlarged and the white central portion reduced

Union culture and tourism minister Prahlad Singh Patel has cited visuals of the backdrop of Arvind Kejriwal’s regular televised addresses and blamed the Delhi chief minister for “knowingly or unknowingly” disrespecting the national flag seen in them. In a letter sent on Thursday, Patel said the green stripe in the Tricolour displayed behind Kejriwal during his televised appearances was distorted and enlarged and the white central portion reduced. He added this amounts to a violation of the Flag Code of India and that he has written to the Centre and Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal requesting an immediate correction.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. (File photo)

“Whenever Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal addresses a televised briefing, my attention is often drawn to the national flag behind his chair... it is in violation of the Constitution. The national flag has been used for the purpose of decoration,” he said in the letter.

Kejriwal has been holding press briefing regularly on the Covid crisis in Delhi, the vaccination progress, oxygen crisis and lockdown restrictions and has often attacked the Centre over its alleged mishandling of the pandemic.

There was no immediate response from Kejriwal or his Aam Aadmi Party.