New Delhi: The Flag Foundation of India (FFI), led by former Congress MP Naveen Jindal, has praised the Centre’s decision to amend the 2002 National Flag Code, allowing manufacture and import of machine-made polyester flags.
This amendment is part of the Union government’s upcoming campaign called ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’. As part of the campaign, all citizens will be encouraged to hoist the Tricolour at their homes during the Independence week, from 11 to 17 August 2022.
However, the Congress has objected to the amendment, saying the move violates the spirit of the freedom movement. It has also alleged that the decision will boost Chinese imports.
Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh tweeted saying, “Those who didn’t participate in the freedom movement, didn’t hoist the Tricolour for 52 years at Nagpur (RSS headquarters), will never understand the relationship India has with the Tricolour and khadi. They have made arrangements for ‘har ghar Cheen ka tiranga’ (Chinese-made Tricolours atop every house). The same China which has captured our land.”
Amid criticism, however, the FFI Friday released a statement saying, “The criticism of the addition of polyester to the amended Flag Code is out of ignorance. This amendment only reaffirms what was already clarified by the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2005.”
It added, “It will give a boost to the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga” initiative’ of the Government of India and remove doubts from the minds of people. We welcome the amendment to the Flag Code of India.”
Jindal also tweeted saying it has been his “dream to see every house displaying the National Flag”.
“I call upon all fellow Indians to join this campaign, take inspiration from the Tiranga and work together to build a self-reliant India,” he added.
The foundation’s tweet had also mentioned its “decade-long struggle” to give every citizen the right to display the National Flag on all days of the year. In the statement, it noted that the national flag is the most solemn symbol of the nation and should not be restricted to a certain fabric but “liberalised”.
No GST on polyester flags too
Prior to the Centre’s amendment, rules allowed manufacture of “hand-spun and woven wool or cotton or silk khadi bunting” flags. The import of machine-made flags was banned in 2019.
Following the amendment in December last year, the finance ministry had said that the sale of the National Flag, irrespective of whether machine made or of polyester, is exempt from the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Hand-woven, hand-spun national flags made of cotton, silk, wool or Khadi are already exempt from GST.
”It has been clarified that the sale of the Indian National Flag, adhering to the Flag Code 2002 and its subsequent amendments, is exempt from GST,” Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s office tweeted.
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