CHENNAI: Those preventing the public from hoisting the national flag on Independence Day will be thrown in prison under the Goondas Act, Madras High Court Justice G Jayachandran warned, as reported by Thanthi TV.

While the judge was hearing petitions on Monday, an advocate came forward with a plea claiming that former members of an apartment welfare association in the city were preventing the residents from hoisting the tricolour on Independence Day. He stated that the residents would be filing a case in connection with this and requested the judge to fast-track judgement in the matter and requested police protection for those wanting to hoist the flag.

Taking immediate cognizance of the issue, Judge Jayachandran said that no individual has the right to prevent anyone from hoisting the national flag and that police protection should be given to the aggrieved party. "It is a shame that we need police protection to hoist our own national flag," he observed.

The judge further said that the victims could file a case if adequate police protection was denied or if the police refused to initiate action.