The actor turned politician clarified later that he had politely reminded the officer about the salute
Actor and MP Suresh Gopi was in the centre of a controversy for asking a sub inspector to salute him. The Youth Congress staged a protest by using chappals to salute him. But the actor clarified that he had been to the Thrissur police station on official work when he noticed that a sub inspector had not bothered to acknowledge his presence. He remained seated in the jeep throughout the time and later Suresh Gopi approached him and politely told him that he is an MP and deserves a salute. “I had gone to the area for a visit and I saw this SI of Police sitting in his jeep, and he also saw me, but he remained seated. It was then that I very politely went and told him that I am an MP and that I can be given a salute.”
Though the Kerala Police Association clarified that the police officers are not required to salute MPs and MLAs , Suresh Gopi went on to say that though he feels that the whole system of saluting should be done away with, when there is a system in place, it is not fair to play politics and discriminate against people. He also added that, “…If they claim that a police officer need not salute an MP, then I wish to get a copy of that circular from the state Police Chief”.
