Army veteran alleges flag code breach in Operation Safed Sagar, demands ban

The aerial-action series Operation Safed Sagar, which pays tribute to Indian Air Force officers who fought alongside the Indian Army during the 1999 Kargil War, has come under criticism over a scene involving the national flag. The six-episode show, directed by Oni Sen, has been praised for its authenticity, humane approach to an important chapter, and the performances of its lead cast.Amid that response, Indian Army veteran Col Vembu Shankar, SC, flagged what he described as an incorrect draping of the tricolour on a coffin in a scene involving Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja. He also called for the error to be corrected and asked for the series to be taken off the platform until the change is made.Col Vembu Shankar shared a picture of the scene in which Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja, played by Siddharth, is martyred, and his pallbearers, Flying Officer CH Bal Reddy, played by Mihir Ahuja, and Flying Officer Rajpal Singh Dhaliwal, played by Abhay Verma, carry his coffin for the last rites. He said the Indian flag had not been draped correctly on the coffin.In an Instagram post, he wrote, “The coffin is draped in the Indian National Flag. The green portion of the flag is seen. This is an incorrect draping of the Indian National Flag on a coffin as per the Flag Code of India. The saffron should have been towards the head. I am shocked how the authorities at the service Headquarters and the military advisors have overlooked this fact (sic).” He further demanded that the makers make a digital correction and suspend the show’s screening on Netflix until that is done. “Can someone in the Air HQ connect with the producers to digitally alter/edit the colour and until then suspend the screening on the streaming platform Netflix and also issue an apology in mainstream media (sic),” he added.Directed by Oni Sen of Asur fame, Operation Safed Sagar depicts the Indian Air Force’s 47-day historic mission to drive out Pakistani forces from Indian positions along the Line of Control. The series spotlights the courage and strategic excellence of the Indian Armed Forces, featuring precision airstrikes and the coordinated efforts between the IAF and the Indian Army. India Today, in its review for the show, wrote, "Operation Safed Sagar is a gripping six-episode series that shines a light on an important chapter of the Kargil War. Strong performances, convincing aerial action and an emotionally engaging story make it one of the better Indian war dramas in recent years."Created by Abhijeet Singh Parmar and Kushal Srivastava and directed by Oni Sen, the series is headlined by Siddharth, Jimmy Shergill, Abhay Verma, Mihir Ahuja, Taaruk Raina, and Arnav Bhasin, among others.- EndsPublished By: Anurag BohraPublished On: Aug 12, 2026 10:42 IST