Vice-President of India, Hamid Ansari has come in for a heavy dose of criticism, especially on the social media for failing to salute the national flag during the national anthem at the 'Republic Day' celebrations.
Pictures were posted on Twitter and Facebook showing that Ansari did not salute the national flag during the national anthem.
"Jihadi sympathizer", "anti-India", "traitor", these were some of the names that the vice president of India was hurled at on the country's 66th Republic Day.
Many tweeted demanding that Ansari be impeached, the more moderate ones wanted him to resign, and the more outraged ones advised him to join the ISIS.
The supporters of the Vice-President argue that he did not need to salute the flag according to the protocol. They quote section VI Flag Code of India in defence of the Vice-President, which deals with the protocols for saluting the flag.
"During the ceremony of hoisting or lowering the flag, or when the flag is passing in a parade or in a review, all persons present should face the Flag and stand at attention. Those present in uniform should render the appropriate salute".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Pranab Mukherjee, vice president Ansari, US President Barack Obama, defence Minister Manohar Parrikar were not in uniform and were therefore not required to salute the flag.
"President Mukherjee, Modi and Parrikar actually made a mistake by saluting the flag, Ansari did the right thing", argue the supporters.
Those angry with the Vice-President say that there was no need to bother with protocol on an occasion like this especially when the US president was present as the guest of honor.
In all likelihood, no one present on the occasion would have been aware of the protocol and besides it was the national flag and not the emblem of the RSS or any other Hindutva organization.
Saluting the national flag is an impulsive act of respect, love and gratitude to the nation and only an extreme rationalist would think of protocol on such an occasion, they say.
Well, this is one controversy that could have best been avoided!
