Lady Gaga’s Tricolour Hairdo:

What constitutes insult to the National Flag?

The Indian tricolour has aattracted enough Constitutional and Legal attention in the 64 years of its history as India’s symbol of sovereignity. Flag-burning, deliberate mutilation, illegal use by non-State entities barred expressly barred, use by individuals defined as ieligible except on the Independence and Republic Days, use as Standard by entities below a prescribed level of hierarchichal authoroity, use for commercial purposes, -- all are forms of Insult to the national flag. There must be a few more atleast under the penal code which are punishable as per the gravity of the offence. BUT the point is that they are Cognizable Offences.

Four or five years ago some one went to the Supreme Court asserting the right of all citizens/nationals of India to using the flag with due seriousness and honour without discrimination between officially eligble and and ‘non-eligible’ persons and purposes except clearly anti-national/ secessionist/ deliberately mischievous and frivolous use of the tricolour. I think the Apex Court responded with favour in this case.

Yet, when Mandira Bedi appeared on television on a cricket commentary panel in a plain coloured Sari with the little emblems of the Indian tricolor printed all over it a case was filed against her for using the flag in a manner that constituted the offence of insult to the symbol of India’s sovereignity. I do not know what happened subsequently, nor am I interested in the sense of insult suffered by the ultra-sensitive patriots who took exception to Mandira Bedi’s dress sense .

But , for two days running, the print media has carried photographs of some firangee named Lady Gaga, apparently a singer/entertainer, who visited India on the ‘auspicious’ occasion of the inaugural Indian Grand Prix F1 race ,October 30, 2011. This lady sported a tall hairdo with the three colours of the Indian flag sprayed on her coiffeur to ‘symbolize’ the ‘sprit of India’. This is BIG news and worthy of media attention and celebration. Surely there will be life size posters of Lady G in this hairdo in the bedrooms of adoring urban youth who will find pleasure and pride I displaying the poster-girl.NO ONE IS ASKING LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS about the propriety of the tricolor hairdo. Doe this not constitute an insult to the Indian Flag?

Or is it that Indians are punishable but foreign nationals ‘misusing’ the tricolor have inherited the rights of the erstwhile British Empire to ride rough–shod on Indian sensitivities without inviting opprobrium?

Come, let us be clear about this. Are Mandira Bedi and other nationals of India LESSER persons than Lady Gaga ,that their use of the national flag is an offence and the Lady’s use honourable or pardonable? Indeed, does Lady Gaga define the collective deferential attitude of India to White and non-‘dark’ foreigners?

Is Lady Gaga going to be booked or be scot-free?

By keeping discreetly quiet in this case India exposes its double standards, and insults itself.