Madhya Pradesh court issues notice to minister Rao Uday Pratap Singh over plea alleging insult to tricolour

JABALPUR: A special MP/MLA court in Jabalpur has issued a notice to Madhya Pradesh minister Rao Uday Pratap Singh over a plea alleging that he insulted the national flag during a 2024 ‘Tiranga Yatra’. Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) D P Sutrakar recently issued the notice while hearing an application filed by Kaushal Silawat, who sought directions to police to register an FIR against Singh, according to news agency PTI. The petitioner alleged that the state transport minister had improperly displayed the tricolour on the bonnet of a vehicle during a yatra held in Narsinghpur on August 11, 2024. The BJP had organised a series of ‘Tiranga Yatras’ ahead of Independence Day that year, including rallies and a campaign encouraging citizens to display the national flag at their homes and business establishments. Silawat also submitted an affidavit, photographs purportedly showing the tricolour placed on the bonnet of a vehicle during the rally, and copies of complaints sent to the Narsinghpur collector and the superintendent of police.