Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 15 (IANS): Superstar and Rajya Sabha member Suresh Gopi on Wednesday said he politely asked a Sub Inspector of the Kerala Police to salute him as he is a MP lawmaker.

The incident occurred near Thrissur when he was on a visit to the locality.

When the issue was picked up by the TV channels, Gopi told the media that he asked the SI to salute.

"I had reached 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 I very politely went and told him that I am an MP and I can be given a salute and this is what happened," he said.

As the Kerala Police Association said they are not very pleased with the way a salute was asked, the superstar who has played quite a few policeman's roles in his film career, said: "This association is a political body and I don't have to look into that."

" I have been an MP for a while now and in the past, I have had to face some protocol issues and hence I have confirmed with the Parliament Secretariat about the protocols. I addressed the police official as Sir and spoke to him in the most polite manner," he added.

Gopi was nominated to the Upper House in April 2016 and in between, contested two elections - the 2019 Lok Sabha election from Thrissur and the recent 2021 Assembly polls, from the Thrissur Assembly constituency - on a BJP ticket, but had to bite the dust both times.