Was Hamid Ansari required to salute? Check what happened in past R-Days
New Delhi: A big fuss has been made by social media on whether Vice President Hamid Ansari should have saluted when the national anthem was being played during the 66th Republic Day celebrations at Rajpath yesterday.
Social voices became more stringent since Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Manohar Parikar were caught in the same frame, saluting.
His office has clarified that this was not required as per protocol. “As per the protocol, when the national anthem is played, the principal dignitary and persons in uniform take the salute. Those in civil dress stand in attention,” Gurdeep Sappal, joint secretary and OSD to the vice-president, said in a statement.
“During the Republic Day parade, the President of India, as Supreme Commander, takes the salute. As per protocol, the vice- president is required to stand in attention,” the statement added
“When the vice- president is the principal dignitary, he salutes during the national anthem,” Sappal said. Soon after the Republic Day celebrations, photos of President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and defence minister Manohar Parrikkar saluting the tricolour and Ansari not doing so went viral on Twitter.
As some launched a vicious attack on Ansari over it, a host of others reacted sharply saying that raking it up was “unnecessary and shameful.”
Here, check for yourself similar frames from past Republic Day celebrations:
Former President Pratibha Patil salutes the National Flag while chief guest former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Vice President Hamid Ansari and then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stand in attention on 63rd Republic Day (Photo: video grab)
President Pranab Mukherjee salutes the National Flag while chief guest Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, Vice President Hamid Ansari and then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stand in attention on 64th Republic Day (Photo: video grab)
President Pranab Mukherjee salutes the National Flag while chief guest Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Vice President Hamid Ansari and then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stand in attention on 65th Republic Day (Photo: video grab)
