BJP functionary and actor S.Ve. Shekher on Thursday expressed “remorse” for having asked Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami why the latter considered the draping of a saffron shawl around AIADMK founder M.G. Ramachandran’s statue in Puducherry on July 23 a disgrace, despite saffron being a part of the national flag.
In an affidavit filed before Justice A.D. Jagadish Chandira of the Madras High Court, the actor said: “I submit that I am definitely remorseful of having raised those questions to the honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu since I feel that any statement that he makes would be from his perspective and he is the best judge of his own statements.” The affidavit was filed in response to a stand taken by Central Crime Branch police, Chennai, that it would have no objection to grant of anticipatory bail to the actor if he tenders an apology, besides undertaking not to repeat the act in future. He had sought advance bail in a case registered under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act of 1971.
After petitioner’s counsel Venkatesh Mahadevan pointed out that his client had filed an affidavit expressing remorse, the judge adjourned the case to Monday for ascertaining from State Public Prosecutor A. Natarajan whether he could now be granted anticipatory bail. The petitioner should not be arrested till then, the judge said.
Mr. Shekher told the court that, in a video shared on social media on August 3 questioning the CM, he had equated the colours of the national flag with different religions since Mahatma Gandhi himself had, while writing in Young India in April 1921, wanted the colours to represent the religious denominations.
Stating that he had the highest regard for the national flag, the actor said he had never even dreamt of causing even a minor slur much less an insult to the national tricolour. “I submit, undertake and assure to this court that for the rest of my lifetime also, I would never utter any word or act in a manner which would cause an insult to our honourable flag,” he added.
In the video that had led to registration of a First Information Report by the Cyber Crime Cell of the CCB, the petitioner had taken exception to the Chief Minister having termed the Puducherry incident as a disgrace.
“Does that mean even our national flag is a disgrace? Are you going to hoist a disgraceful national flag on August 15? Have you come to a conclusion to cut off the saffron representing Hindus and retain only the white and green colours representing Christians and Muslims? It is really saddening,” he had said.
Published - September 04, 2020 12:33 am IST
