MLA Takes Phone Call During Singing Of National Anthem

Kolkata: In a major embarrassment for Trinamool Congress (TMC), its Member of Legislative Assembly Vaishali Dalmiya was snapped attending phone calls on her mobile while the national anthem was being played at a sports event in Howrah.

Besides being an MLA, Vaishali, is also the daughter of late Jagmohan Dalmiya, former President of International Cricket Council and Board of Cricket Council of India. Vaishali was attending Commissioner Cup, a Football tournament organised by Belur Police Station to promote football and sports amongst youth of the locality and district. National Anthem was being played as both the football teams reached the ground before the start of the football match.

This is not the first incident when a politician came under the radar for talking over phone during national anthem, as earlier, former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah faced a huge backlash for talking on phone while the national anthem was being played.

Vaishali had come as a guest in the event. The match is being played in her constituency. The event was also attended by Cooperative Minister Arup Roy, Junior Sports Minister and former Cricketer Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Local Councillors and other police officials of Howrah.

Meanwhile, in Kerala at least six people were detained for allegedly showing disrespect to the national anthem and in another incident a Kerala writer was charged with sedition over a Facebook post that was allegedly disrespectful to the national anthem.