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Protests broke out in Noida on Tuesday after workers at mobile phone maker Oppo's manufacturing facility alleged that a senior colleague from China allegedly tore the tricolour and threw it in the dustbin.
The incident sparked outrage and hundreds of protesters flocked to the streets to condemn the disrespect shown to the national flag.
Operations at the Chinese company's facility in Sector 63 were interrupted as the workers protested just outside the premises and were joined by a huge crowd.
Following a sharp reaction from the public, Oppo said that “it deeply regrets this unfortunate incident” and the spokesperson of the company issued a statement saying "Oppo as a brand has deep respect for Indians and is strongly rooted as well as localised in the country.”
The external affairs ministry is investigating the incident while Oppo said it is cooperating with the authorities finding out the facts.
It is not yet clear what provoked the incident, which has elicited a strong reaction on social media. Hashtags such as ‘How dare you Oppo’ and ‘Boycott China phones’ have been trending on Twitter.
Meanwhile, a police complaint has been lodged against the Chinese national under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act that could send the offender behind bars for a year.
The national flag was at the centre of a controversy in January as well, when Amazon was barred from selling products bearing the tricolour. The e-commerce giant was selling doormats with the flag and the Ashoka Chakra printed on them.
Following the ban, the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) had issued a fresh directive “to ensure strict compliance of the provisions contained in the Flag Code of India, 2002,” to remind people about the laws pertaining to the display of the national flag.
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