A video of a cop, confiscating the Indian tricolour outside the MA Chidambaram Stadium (also called Chepauk) in Chennai, has gone viral on social media. The incident took place on Monday (23rd October) during the course of the Afghanistan Vs Pakistan cricket match.
The story was initially reported by ‘News Tamil 24X7’, which later deleted its tweet. However, several netizens downloaded the video and then reposted it online. Soon the hashtag ‘#DMK_HatesIndianFlag’ began trending on social media.
In the contentious video, the cop could be seen carrying a flag from a dustbin into his police vehicle.
Onlookers were reportedly heard reprimanding him for throwing the flag in the dustbin in the first place. It was only after their objection that the police personnel took the Indian tricolour along with him to the police vehicle.
பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்ட இந்திய தேசிய கொடி.. குப்பைத் தொட்டியில் வீசிய காவலர்.. அதிர்ச்சியடைந்த ரசிகர்கள்..
— 🏍️🅟︎🅤︎🅛︎🅢︎🅐︎🅡︎_220🏍️ (@Pulsar220_) October 23, 2023
😡🤦♂️
சென்னை சேப்பாக்கம் மைதானத்தில் இந்திய தேசியக் கொடியை கொண்டு செல்வதற்கு அனுமதி மறுப்பு.@Selvakumar_IN @indhavaainko@khushsundar @KasthuriShankar#DMK_HatesIndianFlag pic.twitter.com/SfgvxVipIi
While reacting to the development, Tamil Nadu (BJP) State Secretary SG Suryah slammed the police for seizing the Indian national flags and throwing them in the dustbin.
“First, it is wrong that Tamil Nadu Police seized Indian National flags from today’s #WorldCup2023 Cricket match in the stadium. Second, it’s atrocious for the Police to confiscate the flags & throw in the dustbin. CM Mr.@mkstalin should act now or will be forced to act,” he tweeted.
First, it is wrong that Tamil Nadu Police seized Indian National flags from today's #WorldCup2023 Cricket match in the stadium.
— Dr.SG Suryah (@SuryahSG) October 23, 2023
Second, it's atrocious for the Police to confiscate the flags & throw in the dustbin.
CM Mr.@mkstalin should act now or will be forced to act. DOT. pic.twitter.com/cyIS7XOANZ
BJP State President K Annamalai condemned the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government and the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) for disrespecting the Indian tricolour.
“The police outside the stadium disallowed fans from carrying the Indian flag to today’s match in Chepauk. Who gave TNCA this right?” he asked.
“We demand the strictest action against the police officers for insulting our National flag, and the DMK should apologise to the people of our state, failing which, BJP TamilNadu will be compelled to protest against this Corrupt DMK government for denigrating the sanctity of the Tricolor,” Annamalai issued a strong statement.
Gopalapuram Scion Thiru @Udhaystalin had problems with the #JaiShriRam chant during the Cricket match against Pakistan, having forgotten the treatment meted out to our players in Pakistan in the past.
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) October 23, 2023
DMK Minister Thiru Ponmudi’s son & TNCA President Thiru Ashok Sigamani has… pic.twitter.com/26GKYUIv7g
Counter-claims by DMK supporters
In the meantime, the DMK supporters on social media claimed that BCCI outlawed taking ‘flag poles’ inside the stadium as they could be used as weapons during the match. They alleged that it was the reason why cops did not allow Indian flags, mounted on sticks, to be taken inside the Chepauk stadium.
X (formerly Twitter) handle ‘Dravidian Insights’ shared a News18 report from 8th April 2022, to substantiate its claims. It also shared a picture of BJP Youth Wing President Vinoth, allegedly holding the Indian flag inside the Chepauk stadium.
It suggested that there was ‘no ban’ on taking the Indian tricolour inside the stadium.
https://t.co/bbCBnMB1vq pic.twitter.com/79HdbShSPo
— Dravidian Insights (@dstock_insights) October 23, 2023
One X (formerly Twitter) user, Megha Sai, pointed out that the BJP leader went into the stadium only after the incident of a cop dumping the Indian tricolour into the dustbin had surfaced.
He went with flag after the incident in the evening
— Megha sai (@sai_megha) October 24, 2023
Action taken against the accused cop
BJP leader SG Suryah informed that the accused sub-inspector was identified as Nagarajan. He added that the cop has been transferred to a different department by the Chennai Police Commissioner.
Sub Inspector Nagarajan who threw Indian Flag into dustbin in Chepauk Cricket stadium transferred to a different department by Chennai Police Commissioner. Wonder if this mere transfer insinuates TN Police now? Meanwhile CM Mr.@mkstalin who holds Home Dept. is mute as always!” he emphaised.
Sub Inspector Nagarajan who threw Indian Flag into dustbin in Chepauk Cricket stadium transferred to a different department by Chennai Police Commissioner.
— Dr.SG Suryah (@SuryahSG) October 23, 2023
Wonder if this mere transfer insinuates TN Police now?
Meanwhile CM Mr.@mkstalin who holds Home Dept. is mute as always! pic.twitter.com/3rtQkJh9fs
The development was confirmed by several news reports. While speaking to The Indian Express, Triplicane DCP Deshmukh Shekhar Sanjay said, “…As per the information we received, the officer stopped a couple of fans from carrying the national flag and later put it in a nearby bin and then took it. We conducted an initial inquiry and the officer was transferred to the control room. We conducted an initial inquiry and the officer was transferred to the control room.”
Tamil Nadu police issue statement
While speaking to Press Trust of India, the Tamil Nadu police ‘denied‘ that there were restrictions on fans to carry the Indian flag.
“It is permitted. An officer had acted in his individual capacity and a departmental inquiry into the incident was on,” a senior official told the news wire agency. He further added that the Tamil Nadu police allowed flags from India, Afghanistan and Pakistan to be carried inside the Chepauk stadium.
STORY | Flutter over 'restriction' to carry Indian flags inside cricket stadium in TN, police deny charge
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 23, 2023
READ: https://t.co/lWjd9kZiJf
VIDEO:#PAKvsAFG #WorldCup2023 pic.twitter.com/enTG9ergpT
On reacting to the actions of the accused sub-inspector, he claimed that it was an ‘isolated incident’.
