A content creator, Gopal Mandal, claimed that he was mistreated and threatened with arrest in India for displaying a Nepali flag while travelling in the country. The incident, which was captured in a video and widely shared online, has sparked debates on social media, with many expressing support for the creator.
The incident reportedly took place near the SSB camp, a few kilometres away from Mirik, a small town in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India.
In the video, the creator begins by saying, “India ke andar Nepal ka flag leke nahi ghum sakte, aaj hume jail me daalne ki dhamki di gyi hai guys,” which translates to, “You can’t walk around in India with the Nepalese flag. Today, we were threatened with being thrown in jail.”
The video then cuts to another clip showing a man confronting the creator. The man can be heard asking, “Nepal ka flag kyu laga rakha hai? (Why are you displaying the Nepali flag?)" The content creator responds, “Kyu ki hum dono countries ghum rahe hai. (Because we are travelling both countries.)"
The confrontation continues as the man tells the creator, “Ghum toh India mein rahe ho, toh Nepal ka flag utaro. (You are in India, so take down the Nepali flag.)" He further insists, “Flag utaro. Permission liya travel ka. Dusre desh ka jhanda laga ke India mein ghoomoge?” which translates to, "Take down the flag. Did you get permission for travelling? Are you going to travel in India with another country's flag?"
{{/usCountry}}The confrontation continues as the man tells the creator, “Ghum toh India mein rahe ho, toh Nepal ka flag utaro. (You are in India, so take down the Nepali flag.)" He further insists, “Flag utaro. Permission liya travel ka. Dusre desh ka jhanda laga ke India mein ghoomoge?” which translates to, "Take down the flag. Did you get permission for travelling? Are you going to travel in India with another country's flag?"
{{/usCountry}}The creator, in his response, questions, “Ghume ka kya permission lena? (What permission do I need to travel?)" He also clarified that the man confronting him was neither a police official nor an army officer, suggesting that the encounter was not related to any formal law enforcement action.
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The video quickly went viral, prompting mixed reactions across social media. Many people in the comments section expressed their support for the content creator, siding with him over the mistreatment he allegedly faced for displaying the Nepali flag. Some questioned the appropriateness of the confrontation, while others called for greater tolerance and understanding between neighbouring countries.
A user wrote, "Absolutely, put it up brother, there's nothing wrong with it. Nepal is a Hindu nation, and India too. You both can display your flags, no one can stop you. "
Another added, "These are the same people who want to create a conflict between India and Nepal. This happened a few days ago as well."