No political party can have monopoly over its flag: TTV Dhinakaran

Chennai: Pointing out that no political party can seek any monopoly over its flag, or any combination of colours, T.T.V. Dhinakaran has prayed to Madras High Court to dismiss AIADMK's application restraining him and his party Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam from using any flag deceptively similar to AIADMK’s flag using the same black, white and red colour combinations.

Dhinakaran stated this in his counter affidavit filed before Justice C.V. Karthikeyan, in response to the application arising out of the suit filed by AIADMK party's joint coordinator Edappadi K. Palaniswami.

He said the origins of the red and black colour on the AIADMK's flag traces its history to 1944 when Justice Party changed its name to Dravidar Kazhagam under the leadership of Periyar, who upon his return from Russia declared that all members of DK wear black to signify the strife and hardship faced by Dravidians in the then Madras Presidency.

He said colours of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam's flag was red at the bottom, white in the middle and black at the top with a picture of Jayalalithaa in the centre.

More particularly, the colour distribution was such that only 50 per cent was red and black and the balance 50 per cent was white in the middle with the prominent face of Jayalalithaa.

Consequently, even a bare look by the naked eye will clearly bring out the difference between the flags of AIADMK and his party much more prominently than the differences between the flags of DMK and AIADMK, he added.

Pointing out that colours red and black were symbolic to Dravidian politics and represent the visions of Periyar, Anna, MGR and Jayalalithaa, he said AIADMK cannot claim any monopoly over the colours red, black and white nor can it contend that they were unique to AIADMK party.