New Delhi, May 4 (IANS) The Supreme Court Friday dismissed a petition seeking directions to the government to initiate action against Anna Hazare and his two associates for allegedly showing disrespect and dishonouring the national flag during the Lokpal stir.
Dismissing the petition of Chennai-based L.K. Venkat, the apex court bench of Justice B.S. Chauhan and Justice J.S. Khehar said: “You want publicity. There is no insult of the flag.”
The court threatened to impose a cost of Rs.1 lakh on the petitioner if he insisted on his prayers seeking action against Hazare, Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal.
The petitioner was referring to Lokpal protests held by Team Anna in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.
Venkat moved the apex court seeking direction to the central government to take action against Hazar and his aides alleging that they had flown the flag at half mast in public, put it on the ground and defaced it.
The petition said that his representation to the government to initiate action against Hazare and his team members was ignored.
He said that acts of Hazare and his associates constituted an offence that was punishable under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.
Hazare and his associates had shown disrespect to the national flag “knowingly, intentionally and deliberately”. Their actions were punishable with imprisonment of three years, the petition said.
