ALAPPUZHA: Nearly 200 protesters assembled in front of the Indian Consulate General Office in San Francisco on the Independence Day. And when they were about to set the Tricolour on fire, Vincent Varkey jumped onto the scene and snatched the flag from them.
The video of the 43-year-old’s act shot perhaps by an onlooker on a mobile phone, soon found its way to the social media. It has gone viral since then, making Varkey a hero in his native place of Pullangady in Kuttanad. “I didn’t know about the video until one of my friends in Delhi informed me,” Varkey told Express over the phone from San Francisco.
The National Security Guard (NSG) headquarters appreciated his timely intervention. “I was deputed to protect the San Francisco office two years ago. On August 15, when the embassy officials were preparing to hoist the national flag in the morning, around 150-200 protesters, a majority of them Sikhs and Kashmiris, gathered in front of the office,” said Varkey.
‘I couldn’t wait when they tried to burn the flag’
“They started shouting slogans against the country and insulted the flag by throwing it on the ground and stamping on it. Their protest was against scrapping of Article 370 of the Constitution. “US security guards had been deployed to prevent untoward incidents. When the mob tried to set fire to the flag using a lighter, I stepped in quickly and snatched the tricolour from them.
They tried to attack me, but the security personnel saved me,” said Vincent. “My patriotism never allows me to become a mute spectator to such incidents. However, I remained patient because I wasn’t entrusted with the task of managing law and order. But I couldn’t wait when they tried to burn it. I snatched the flag and shouted ‘Bharat Matha Ki Jai’,” said Vincent. Vincent had worked on the security detail of PM Narendra Modi when he was the chief minister of Gujarat.
He had also worked as LK Advani’s personal security officer for three years when he was the deputy prime minister. Later, he worked as a security guard of chief ministers including Rajnath Singh, J Jayalalithaa, M Karunanidhi, Mayawati, Mulayam Singh, Farooq Abdullah, Parkash Singh Badal and Bhajan Lal.
Vincent, son of Vakkachan and Thankamma of Kiliyalamvelil, Pullangady, had joined the Assam Rifles at 18 while doing his graduation. He joined the NSG in 2001 on deputation. In 2007, he returned to his parent unit and was later appointed on deputation at embassies.