Prime Minister Narendra Modi kicked up a controversy after he autographed an Indian flag in New York to be gifted to President Barack Obama, evoking sharp reaction from the Congress which said, "However high you may be, the National flag is above you, you should understand this".
Modi signed on the tricolour for chef Vikas Khanna who said he would gift it to the US President. Khanna had prepared the menu for Modi's dinner with Fortune 500 CEOs. The chef displayed the signed tricolour to the media.
However, the flag was later taken away by officials after the controversy erupted to check whether there was any violation of the flag code.
Asked whether the Prime Minister's action of signing on a national flag was an offence under IPC, Party's chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala said, "we are not petty like BJP. We respect the office of the Prime Minister".
At the same time, he said that the Prime Minister must look within and take corrective action as respect for the National Flag is the responsibility of 125 Crore of people,more so for the Prime Minister.
Prime Minister told the chef that he had done him proud by preparing an elaborate menu for his guests- 47 top American CEOs who met him at the Waldorf Astoria hotel.
