Kerala minister makes major gaffe, hoists national flag upside down and salutes it

A Kerala minister got into serious trouble after he mistakenly hoisted the national flag upside down and even saluted this inverted version during the Republic Day celebrations in Kasaragod today (January 26).

The Opposition BJP has now flagged this issue as a serious one and demanded his resignation for disrespecting the national flag.

This is what unfolded: As the chief guest of the Republic Day celebrations at the district headquarters, minister Ahammad Devarkovil, who holds the Port and Archaeology portfolios in the Left Government, unfurled the national flag at the Municipal Stadium in Kasaragod on Republic Day morning.

Devarkovil is a nominee of the Indian National League (INL), an ally of the CPI(M)-led LDF.

However, the minister failed to realise the flag was upside down and mechanically went ahead and saluted the flag and even delivered his speech. Neither did the other ministers, police officials and other dignitaries present on the occasion realise the slip-up. However, a few media personnel covering the event pointed out the blunder made by the minister.

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Then the minister quickly lowered the flag and raised it again this time correctly.

While a senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan, who was present at the function, wanted the government to take action against this “unfortunate” incident, BJP state chief K Surendran demanded Devarkovil’s resignation and said a police case should be registered against him and the officials who had shown disrespect to the national flag.

According to Surendran, it was a matter of serious concern that the minister also saluted the tricolour (flag) after it was hoisted upside down. “It is ridiculous that despite such a grave mistake, neither the minister nor the officials realised the error,” he said in a statement. Besides, he wanted  -a probe into the incident by the state DGP.