When the elephant is down, even an ant kicks it. Or so goes a Chinese proverb. This might well fit the current situation. Celebrities have time and again been roped into controversies surrounding the national flag, much to their surprise.
Months back, actress-cum-cricket anchor Mandira bedi's clothes flagged off a controversy when she was spotted wearing the Indian colours in a disrespectful manner on a television channel, Hosting the live telecast of the Cricket World Cup, she was seen wearing an image of the Indian Tricolour below her waist, which seems to have gone against constitutional norms! Mandira's sari on the occasion had images of national flags of almost all cricket-playing nations printed on it, but it placed the Indian tricolour in a reportedly disrespectful position. However, after big hue and cry, she apologised publicly for her unintended disrespect shown to the national flag.
Now, Aamir Khan seems to have fallen into a fresh flag controversy! He is being alleged to have shown disrespect to the national flag. And this one is pretty serious. A non-bailable warrant is issued against him, which means; he can't walk in and walk out, like what Sanju baba keeps doing. The complainant has reportedly said that Khan had disrespected the national tricolour during inauguration of a car showroom on August 16. He accused that the flags atop the showroom remained hoisted even after the sunset and the showroom employees pulled the flags down in a derogatory manner. Aamir Khan has no way out, but to wait till November 7 for the next court hearing.
Team India could soon be in the dock for allegedly 'insulting' the National Flag. A petition has been filed before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Kanpur raising serious objections against the alleged disrespect shown by the team members to the National Flag. The complaint had in it that Dhoni and his men had not only wrapped themselves with the tricolour during the World cup celebrations, but also rolled it on the ground. And ‘spraying of champagne followed this' that fell on the flag. He views the entire act as an insult to the national flag. The Local Magistrate has been admitted the petition. And October 25, 2007 will be the day to decide the fate of Dhoni's men for their alleged disrespect shown to the national flag.
But a cricketer getting into flag controversy is not anything new. Sachin Tendulkar, the darling of cricket lovers was also roped into a similar controversy, few months back. A website - http://www.headlinesindia.com/ - had stirred up the controversy, splashing pictures of the master batsman cutting the cake in Jamaica with colours of the Indian flag and the Ashok Chakra very much in place at the centre. The function apparently took place on March 10 in the presence of the Indian High Commissioner to Jamaica, K L Agrawal. Later the BCCI officials requested that the issue should not be blown out of proportion.
Tennis sensation, Sania Mirza has not escaped from the flag row. Early in 2006, an advertising campaign, featuring India’s rising star sparked off protests in her hometown, Hyderabad. The Lotto sportswear campaign featured Sania resting her foot on a guitar painted in the colours of the Indian flag. The complainant, Manoj Alexander, president of the Rahul Priyanka Youth Brigade, had said that Sania, while endorsing a foreign brand, was demeaning the Indian flag rather than holding it high.
It’s a well-known fact that we are a country full of Gods and Godmen. Their influence over people is legendary and they have them in awe. But it seems like their devotion had gone overboard. In 2007, two images showing the Indian national flag at the feet of Niramala Srivastava were circulated on the social network Orkut. The picture showed her husband, a former IAS officer and the Secretary General of the Intermaritime Organisation seated next to her. Later, Rajendra Kumar, a trustee of Sahaja Yoga Trust issued an apology on behalf of Nirmala Devi stating that the Sahaja Yogis have the "highest and deepest respect" for the national flag.
What is it with flag and celebrities? Do they really insult it in the real sense? If so, why would they? Why should they be pulled into such controversies?
Months back, actress-cum-cricket anchor Mandira bedi's clothes flagged off a controversy when she was spotted wearing the Indian colours in a disrespectful manner on a television channel, Hosting the live telecast of the Cricket World Cup, she was seen wearing an image of the Indian Tricolour below her waist, which seems to have gone against constitutional norms! Mandira's sari on the occasion had images of national flags of almost all cricket-playing nations printed on it, but it placed the Indian tricolour in a reportedly disrespectful position. However, after big hue and cry, she apologised publicly for her unintended disrespect shown to the national flag.
Now, Aamir Khan seems to have fallen into a fresh flag controversy! He is being alleged to have shown disrespect to the national flag. And this one is pretty serious. A non-bailable warrant is issued against him, which means; he can't walk in and walk out, like what Sanju baba keeps doing. The complainant has reportedly said that Khan had disrespected the national tricolour during inauguration of a car showroom on August 16. He accused that the flags atop the showroom remained hoisted even after the sunset and the showroom employees pulled the flags down in a derogatory manner. Aamir Khan has no way out, but to wait till November 7 for the next court hearing.
Team India could soon be in the dock for allegedly 'insulting' the National Flag. A petition has been filed before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Kanpur raising serious objections against the alleged disrespect shown by the team members to the National Flag. The complaint had in it that Dhoni and his men had not only wrapped themselves with the tricolour during the World cup celebrations, but also rolled it on the ground. And ‘spraying of champagne followed this' that fell on the flag. He views the entire act as an insult to the national flag. The Local Magistrate has been admitted the petition. And October 25, 2007 will be the day to decide the fate of Dhoni's men for their alleged disrespect shown to the national flag.
But a cricketer getting into flag controversy is not anything new. Sachin Tendulkar, the darling of cricket lovers was also roped into a similar controversy, few months back. A website - http://www.headlinesindia.com/ - had stirred up the controversy, splashing pictures of the master batsman cutting the cake in Jamaica with colours of the Indian flag and the Ashok Chakra very much in place at the centre. The function apparently took place on March 10 in the presence of the Indian High Commissioner to Jamaica, K L Agrawal. Later the BCCI officials requested that the issue should not be blown out of proportion.
Tennis sensation, Sania Mirza has not escaped from the flag row. Early in 2006, an advertising campaign, featuring India’s rising star sparked off protests in her hometown, Hyderabad. The Lotto sportswear campaign featured Sania resting her foot on a guitar painted in the colours of the Indian flag. The complainant, Manoj Alexander, president of the Rahul Priyanka Youth Brigade, had said that Sania, while endorsing a foreign brand, was demeaning the Indian flag rather than holding it high.
It’s a well-known fact that we are a country full of Gods and Godmen. Their influence over people is legendary and they have them in awe. But it seems like their devotion had gone overboard. In 2007, two images showing the Indian national flag at the feet of Niramala Srivastava were circulated on the social network Orkut. The picture showed her husband, a former IAS officer and the Secretary General of the Intermaritime Organisation seated next to her. Later, Rajendra Kumar, a trustee of Sahaja Yoga Trust issued an apology on behalf of Nirmala Devi stating that the Sahaja Yogis have the "highest and deepest respect" for the national flag.
What is it with flag and celebrities? Do they really insult it in the real sense? If so, why would they? Why should they be pulled into such controversies?
