Srinagar: A video of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is winning hearts on social media. In the video, he can be seen refusing to cut the tricolour ribbon at an event in Srinagar on Wednesday, and instead folding it in respect. CM Abdullah was inaugurating the ‘Know Your Artisans’ event at Kashmir Haat when he and Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary realised that the ribbon Omar was supposed to cut had a tricolour design.A video of the moment has surfaced and quickly gone viral on social media platforms. Omar asked the officials to untie the ribbon from both ends. He then wrapped it and asked them to set it aside respectfully.
CM Abdullah’s presence of mind has both a legal basis and respect behind it. Cutting the actual physical Indian National Flag is illegal under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, as it constitutes disrespect.
However, a ruling by the Madras High Court states that cutting a cake, paper, or items with a tricolour design or print is not an offence and is not considered unpatriotic.