Time and again, courts have warned the DMK government and its police machinery not to deny permission to hoist the national flag or carry out Tiranga rallies. However, the police have not abandoned this habit. Citizens are being denied their democratic right to hoist the flag or conduct a rally in a dignified manner, reminiscent of colonial-era days.
On May 25, when some fishermen attempted to hoist the national tricolour, a male and female police officer argued with the organisers of the rally. Citing pressure and diktats from higher authorities, they said, “We cannot give you permission to hoist it.” This led to heated arguments between them. The video is proof of the police’s high-handedness.
Operation Sindoor வெற்றி கொண்டாட்டம் …. தேசிய கொடி ஏற்ற போலீசார் முட்டுக்கட்டை…#tamiljanam #OperationSindoor #bjp #chennai #TNGovt #dmk #tnpolice #NewsUpdate pic.twitter.com/UdbTJXSdF6
— Tamil Janam (@TamilJanamNews) May 25, 2025
Dr Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka States BJP National Co-In-charge, said in a statement: “The BJP organised a grand boat rally in support of the Operation Sindhoor initiative, set to depart from Kasimedu fishing harbour in Chennai. Despite the police refusal to grant permission, the event was held in a limited area of the sea as planned.
The rally was organised by Tamil Nadu BJP State Secretary Mr Sathish Kumar and led by Tamil Nadu BJP Fishermen Wing President Munusamy. I, Dr Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy, attended the event as the chief guest, along with other dignitaries including Tamil Nadu BJP State Spokesperson ANS Prasad, Sports Wing President Amar Prasad, and North Chennai East District President NL Nagaraj.”
He further added, “Following the rally, we participated in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Mann Ki Baat programme, where we listened to his address with fishermen and their families. I explained the benefits of various schemes and initiatives highlighted in the programme to the fishing community.
The fishermen expressed their enthusiasm and promised to listen to the Prime Minister’s Mann Ki Baat every month at home. They appreciated the Prime Minister’s efforts to promote India’s heritage, culture, unity, and strength.”
This is not the first time such denials have occurred under the DMK regime, which talks loudly about self-rule and autonomy.
On August 14, 2024, the Madras High Court granted permission to the BJP to organise the Tiranga Rally (bike rallies with the national flag) in Tamil Nadu on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day. This followed a writ petition submitted by A. Krishna Prasath, Coimbatore District Secretary of BJP Yuva Morcha, requesting approval for the rally in celebration of August 15. Previously, the police had refused permission, claiming it could cause law and order issues.
Justice G. Jayachandran questioned:
“Why must citizens have to take the court’s permission every year to hoist the national flag? Any individual or group is entitled to take out a rally carrying the tricolour to exhibit their patriotic fervour and recall the sacrifices made by freedom fighters, after due intimation to the jurisdictional police and without causing disruption to road traffic.”
The DMK government had previously denied similar permissions to the Congress, citing concerns over potential law and order issues, traffic disruptions, and possible damage to the national flag. The judge noted:
“If the State wants to add ifs and buts… what is the message the citizen is getting here? That the State does not want to allow them to hoist or carry the national flag even though they have a right to do so?”
State BJP leader K. Annamalai criticised the DMK government for denying permission to BJP functionaries to conduct bike rallies with the national flag. Speaking to reporters at Avinashi in Tirupur on May 25, he said, “The denial of permission has revealed DMK’s dislike for the national flag. When it comes to the national flag, DMK has a problem.”
என்னங்க சார் உங்க சட்டம்?
தமிழக பாஜகவின் இளைஞரணி சார்பில் நடக்கவிருந்த சுதந்திர தின பேரணிக்கு, உப்பு சப்பில்லாத பல்வேறு காரணங்களைக் கூறி அனுமதி தர மறுத்துள்ளது திராவிட மாடல் அரசு..
உங்கள் குடும்பத் தலைவரின் நினைவு தினத்திற்கு, பேரணியாக அணிவகுக்கலாம், ஆனால், தேசத்தின் சுதந்திர… pic.twitter.com/tHHS9RFQv2
— BJP Tamilnadu (@BJP4TamilNadu) August 12, 2024
Similar incidents took place earlier in 2022. During the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, which marked the 75th anniversary of Independence Day, the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign was launched. PM Modi had invited all citizens to raise the national flag at their residences between August 13 and 15, 2022.
In Tirunelveli, defying police who had refused permission for a tricolour flag procession meant to raise awareness among the public, a large number of Hindu Munnani cadres marched with tricolour flags in hand. When they began marching from Palayamkottai VOC statue towards Melapalayam (a Muslim-majority area), led by Hindu Munnani Vice-President VP Jayakumar, police stopped them at the bus stand.
DCPs Srinivasan, Saravanakumar, and ACP Pradeep told them they would not be allowed to proceed to Melapalayam, which led to a heated exchange. When the rallyists defied police orders and marched forward, police arrested 27 people including Jayakumar, State Secretary K. Kutralanathan, P. Sakthivel, and Brahmanayagam.
According to Kutralanathan,
“We applied for permission to take out a bike rally at Melapalayam and Kuttam in Radhapuram Union. The Inspector of Police, in a written communication dated August 9, denied permission saying the procession would pass through streets where mosques are located and could cause untoward incidents.”
Hindu Munnani functionary Brahmanayagam told Organiser at the time—and his statement remains relevant:
“Now we are not allowed to carry the national flag in Bharat. What is the use of getting freedom? Are we in Pakistan?
It is pertinent to mention that 27-year-old Kodi Kaatha Tirupur Kumaran (the one who saved the flag) did not let go of the nationalist flag, which was banned by the British, even during a barbaric attack to protect its honour. He fell unconscious and died on 11 January 1932. He is remembered as a true satyagrahi for holding the flag even in death. But today, TN police are denying permission for a flag procession citing flimsy reasons. Do we need another freedom struggle?”
In 2023, during a cricket match, Tamil Nadu police stopped fans from carrying the national flag into the stadium and threw it into a dustbin—an act that amounted to an insult to the national flag.
This is unpardonable!
Under @Udhaystalin the TN police stops fans from carrying the national flag to the cricket stadium.
This is an insult to our national sentiment. pic.twitter.com/nSfJy1YOMp
— Pradeep Bhandari(प्रदीप भंडारी)🇮🇳 (@pradip103) October 23, 2023
In a 2024 post, BJP’s Karthik Gopinath wrote:
“The attempt to arm-twist by the police was countered with a strong push by BJP Dindigul District President @Palanikanagaraj avl. The issue here is that the police were restraining them from carrying our national flag to welcome the Governor. This is the BJP, not some pushover!”
The attempt to arm twist by the police was countered with a strong push by the BJP Dindugal dist president @Palanikanagaraj avl. The issue here is the police was restraining them from carrying our national flag to welcome the governor.This is the BJP , not some push over !… pic.twitter.com/yO1DGfCJMF
— karthik gopinath (@karthikgnath) August 24, 2023
The above incidents prove how the DMK attempts to undermine the nationalistic spirit among the people and the disrespect it displays toward the Tiranga, the flag of our nation.
