Plaint against draping Parvathamma's body with tricolour

A lawyer has filed a complaint before a lower court here against draping the mortal remains of Kannada film producer Parvathamma Rajkumar, who passed away on May 31, with the national flag and called it a violation of the Flag Code of India.

Chethan, the lawyer from Vijayanagar, filed the complaint before the 24th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) and sought action against principal secretary (Home), secretary (Home) and Bengaluru police commissioner. The court will hear the matter on June 16.

Parvathamma was the wife of Kannada matinee idol, the late Dr Rajkumar.

“Draping the mortal remains of Parvathamma Rajkumar with the national flag is a violation of Section 5 of the Flag Code of India. I moved the court as the government did not stipulate the rationale behind the decision,” he told DH.

The lawyer insisted that he held the family of Dr Rajkumar in high regard and was only against the “misuse” of the national flag.

“I am not opposing the state funeral given to Parvathamma. The mortal remains of Dr Rajkumar were not draped with the national flag,” he said. “The government’s decision has violated the sanctity of the national flag. I am just fighting for it.”

Section 5 of the Flag Code of India deals with the misuse of the national flag. It states: “The flag shall not be used as a drapery in any form whatsoever except in state/military/central paramilitary forces funerals hereinafter provided.”

Three years of imprisonment or fine or both may be awarded under Section 3 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.