In a major goof-up that went unnoticed, a car on which MoS Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir took salute at the 51st Raising Day Parade of the Border Security Force (BSF) was seen to have placed the tricolour metallic plate upside down.

The event was organised in the BSF camp in South-West Delhi's Chhawla area and the inverted tricolour plate was placed on the bumper of the gypsy (SUV).

On December 6, an RTI in this regard was filed with the Ministry of Home Affairs and BSF. In the reply, the MHA admitted that no representation of the incident has been received in its public section.

MoS Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir took salute at the 51st Raising Day Parade of the Border Security Force (BSF) with India's tricolour upside down

'As the function was organised by BSF, any action, if required, is to be taken by them,' the MHA replied to the RTI.

Meanwhile, the MHA also said that the copy of request has been transferred to the Director General, BSF, and Director (Pers), MHA, asking them to provide the information.

However, the BSF has not replied to the RTI yet, which some point out is because it is exempted from the RTI Act.

When Mail Today contacted a BSF spokesperson, he said he is unaware about the matter or the update in this case.

Experts say the Indian Flag Code, 2002, pre-accused scribes lays down proper rules which should be observed while hoisting the Indian National Flag.

Upside down: India's tricolour should have have the orange coloured segment on top

India's flag fails + In November 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi created a storm when he accidentally posed with an upside down tricolour flag while shaking hands with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. + Embattled Union HRD minister Smriti Irani raked up another controversy in January 2016 when she unfurled the national flag upside down in Hardoi where she went to lay the foundation stone of a Kendriya Vidyalaya building. + In May 2016, Jalandhar mayor Sunil Jyoti of the BJP posed for several photos, as he was sitting in front of a tricolour flag that was hanging upside down at his office. Advertisement

Hoisting the Indian National Flag upside down is an offence under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.

If evidence is shown that a person has hoisted the Indian Flag upside down, an FIR can be registered immediately and a probe into the act conducted.

If found guilty, the accused can be fined or imprisoned for up to three years, or both, under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act.

The BSF, with around 2,50,000 personnel, is the biggest border force in the world which completed 51 years of its existence on Sunday.

The force is responsible for securing India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh borders. And due to the incident involving the inverted flag on its Raising Day, not only the BSF, but also Ahir has come under flak.

Many Opposition leaders and social activists have demanded apology from the MoS Home.