Bitta gives Tiranga’s Chakra a few extra hands

Anti-terrorist leader displays National Flag with 32 spokes; apologises

Bitta gives Tiranga's Chakra a few extra hands

Anti-terrorist leader displays National Flag with 32 spokes; apologises

When it comes to the National Flag, you'd better get your counting correct.

This is what MS Bitta, one of modern India's most reputed 'patriots', learnt the hard way and had to apologise to MiD DAY for his goof-up.

While Bitta spoke at length about Rukhsana's feat, not forgetting to highlight his own achievements as a 'nationalist' in between, he failed to notice a blunder in the National Flag displayed prominently on the podium behind him. The life-size flag had an 'unpatriotic' blotch: the navy blue Chakra at its centre had a few extra spokes. Instead of the stipulated 24, Bitta's flag had 32 spokes.

The controversial flag pic/Rajeev Tyagi

Interestingly, Bitta not only overlooked the mistake, which amounts to insult of the flag and can attract severe punishment, the 'nation-lover' even pointed to it several times during his speeches in the one-and-a-half-hour event.u00a0

When questioned by MiD DAY about the Tiranga's slip-up, Bitta was caught unawares. "There are as many spokes as required," said Bitta, seeming a little hesitant about the exact number of spokes in the Chakra. On being informed that his flag indeed had 32 spokes, the patriot seemed a little off-colour and said, "Let me check the flag and then I will get back to you."

However, Bitta never got back. Instead, his press secretary and spokesperson Parag Jain called up MiD DAY to accept the mistake. "We are very sorry for the slip-up. It is a human mistake, not done intentionally. The publishing house where the flag was printed made the mistake. We love and respect the Tiranga. It is very close to our hearts. We would like you to visit our headquarters, where the National Flag is treated with due respect. We follow all the rules while hoisting the flag," said Jain.

Can Bitta be jailed?
People can be booked for misrepresentation of the National Flag under the Prevention Of Insults To National Honour Act, 1971.

The act says: "Whoever in any public place or in any other place within public view burns, mutilates, defaces, defiles, disfigures, destroys, tramples upon or 'otherwise shows disrespect to or brings' into contempt (whether by words, either spoken or written, or by acts) the Indian National Flag or the Constitution of India or any part thereof, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both."

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