KOZHIKODE: Following the political row over the simultaneous rendition of the national anthem and Vande Mataram during Independence Day celebrations at the Kozhikode corporation office, the police have initiated preliminary inquiries into the incident. A team from the Kozhikode town police visited the residence of BJP councillor Navya Haridas to record her official statement regarding the incident.
The controversy erupted during the flag-hoisting ceremony when 13 BJP councillors began reciting the national song at the exact moment Mayor O Sadashivan and other councillors rendered the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana. The overlapping renditions caused chaos, culminating in the mayor and other councillors walking away after finishing the national anthem while BJP members stayed behind to conclude Vande Mataram.
The DYFI and UDF councillors from the UDF lodged complaints accusing the BJP members of causing deliberate obstruction and disrespect to the national anthem. Conversely, BJP representatives filed a counter-complaint alleging that the mayor and administrative leadership disrespectfully walked away during the rendition of Vande Mataram.
Kozhikode town police inspector Priyan S K said that formal cases have not yet been registered.
