Kulti: National anthem at a football tournament was stopped midway after a local BJP MLA pointed out a referee to halt it while he was shaking hands with the players during the customary introduction. The tournament was organised by BJP legislator Ajay Poddar on Wednesday at the Sanktoria area of Kulti in West Bengal's Paschim Bardhaman district. The incident went viral on social media after it took a different turn with controversy raging like wildfire across the state.
Ahead of the match, the players had lined up to shake hands with Poddar. As he was progressing down the line, a couple of singers present on the dais started singing the national anthem in a loud and clear voice. Taking a cue from the BJP MLA who was pointing towards the dais, the referee blew his whistle and signalled to stop the anthem midway. Drawing flak from many corners, Ajay Poddar claimed that the national anthem was being sung ahead of the schedule.
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“It was decided that after the introduction with the players, everybody would stand in a row and then the national anthem would be sung. But, there was a miscommunication with the timing. I never stopped the anthem. Later, we stood in a row and the national anthem was sung in full,” said Poddar.
On being asked as to why in the first place he allowed the anthem to stop midway and made the gesture, the BJP MLA of Kulti remained mum.
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Condemning the incident, Kulti Trinamool Congress leader Biswajit Chattopadhyay said, "It is clear from the video that the MLA gestured at the dais and instructed the organisers to stop the anthem. I have seen the video very closely and there is no denying it. We condemn the BJP MLA's attitude. However, in Bengal, we know that the less we speak about BJP, the safe we are. This is what BJP knows and this is how the party leaders conduct themselves. It's shameful.”
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