Naveen charged with disrespecting national flag

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has landed in a controversy with three separate FIRs lodged against him for showing disrespect to the national flag at a BJD function.

At a function to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the ruling BJD on Sunday,Naveen is alleged to have displayed the national flag,which had the partys symbol conch and BJDs name written in the middle. This led to protests from the Opposition Congress and BJP,who alleged that the Ashok Chakra was whitened to make space for writing BJD in the centre.

Though Naveen on Tuesday said he had not shown any disrespect to the national flag,a party MLA insisted that the person who presented the flag to the CM should be punished as per law for dishonouring the national flag.

BJD MLA from Bhubaneswar north Bhagirathi Badjena,present at the function,said he was not aware of the tampering done till it was presented. Maybe the party worker has whitened the Ashok Chakra unwittingly. But action should be taken against him as per law, he said.