Guwahati: A criminal case was filed
against Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, his wife and senior
government officials, for cutting a cake decorated like the
tricolor at a Republic Day function at the Raj Bhavan here.
The case was filed by senior advocate of Gauhati High
Court H R A Choudhury at the court of Kamrup Chief Judicial
Magistrate.
The court heard about the admissibility of the case
today and fixed February 15 as the next date of hearing.
Choudhury filed the case against Gogoi, his wife
Dolly, Chief Secretary P C Sarma and Additional DGP Dilip Bora
for violating provisions of Prevention of Violation and Insult
to the National Honour Act, 1971 and Article 51 A of the
Constitution which enshrines the duties of the citizen to
honour the national flag.
Violation of the Act attracts imprisonment for at
least three years.
With the opposition AGP raising a hue and cry over the
incident, Gogoi had expressed regret and said the act was
"unintentional and not to show disrespect to the national
flag".
An official release from the chief minister's office
quoting Gogoi had said, "The question of respect or dishonour
to the national flag does not arise. The very act was
unintentional and not to show any kind of disrespect or
dishonour to the national flag."
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, February 09, 2010, 20:17