New Delhi: Countering controversy that broke out after social media raised the issue of vice-president Hamid Ansari not saluting when the national anthem was being played during Republic Day celebrations at Rajpath, his office later in the day clarified that this was not required as per protocol.

“As per the protocol, when the national anthem is played, the principal dignitary and persons in uniform take the salute. Those in civil dress stand in attention,” Gurdeep Sappal, joint secretary and OSD to the vice-president, said in a statement.

“During the Republic Day parade, the President of India, as Supreme Commander, takes the salute. As per protocol, the vice- president is required to stand in attention,” the statement added

“When the vice- president is the principal dignitary, he salutes during the national anthem,” Mr Sappal said. Soon after the Republic Day celebrations, photos of President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and defence minister Manohar Parrikkar saluting the tricolour and Ansari not doing so went viral on Twitter.

As some launched a vicious attack on Ansari over it, a host of others reacted sharply saying that raking it up was “unnecessary and shameful.”