News Analysis India

Tag: indian flag

  • Government tweaks Indian flag code; now tricolour can be flown day and night

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The government has changed the country’s flag code by allowing the tricolour to fly both day and night and be machine-made besides use of polyester.

    The move came as the government is going to launch a ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ (hoisting of flag in every home) from August 13 to 15 as part of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’.

    In a letter to secretaries of all central ministries and departments, union home secretary Ajay Bhalla said the display, hoisting and use of the Indian national flag is governed by the Flag Code of India, 2002 and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.

    The Flag Code of India, 2002 has been further amended through an order on July, 20, 2022 and clause (xi) of paragraph 2.2 of Part-II of the Flag Code of India, 2002 shall now be read as under:- (xi) “where the Flag is displayed in open or displayed on the house of a member of public, it may be flown day and night”.

    Earlier, the tricolour is allowed to be flown from sun rise to sunset, irrespective of weather conditions. Similarly, paragraph 1.2 of Part-I of the Flag Code of India, 2002 shall now be read as under: 1.2.

    “The National Flag shall be made of hand spun and hand woven or machine made, cotton/ polyester/ wool/ silk khadi bunting.” Earlier machine made and polyester flags are not allowed to be used.

    The Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is being celebrated to commemorate 75 years of a progressive independent India.

    The ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign has been launched to encourage the citizens to hoist the national flag in their homes from August 13 to 15.

    The home secretary also enclosed with his letter the salient features of the Flag Code including the changes made on December, 30, 2021 and July 20, 2022 and the frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the use and display of the national flag.

    “You are requested to ensure that these are widely disseminated among various organisations, PSUs under your administrative control,” the home secretary said in his letter.

    NEW DELHI: The government has changed the country’s flag code by allowing the tricolour to fly both day and night and be machine-made besides use of polyester.

    The move came as the government is going to launch a ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ (hoisting of flag in every home) from August 13 to 15 as part of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’.

    In a letter to secretaries of all central ministries and departments, union home secretary Ajay Bhalla said the display, hoisting and use of the Indian national flag is governed by the Flag Code of India, 2002 and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.

    The Flag Code of India, 2002 has been further amended through an order on July, 20, 2022 and clause (xi) of paragraph 2.2 of Part-II of the Flag Code of India, 2002 shall now be read as under:- (xi) “where the Flag is displayed in open or displayed on the house of a member of public, it may be flown day and night”.

    Earlier, the tricolour is allowed to be flown from sun rise to sunset, irrespective of weather conditions. Similarly, paragraph 1.2 of Part-I of the Flag Code of India, 2002 shall now be read as under: 1.2.

    “The National Flag shall be made of hand spun and hand woven or machine made, cotton/ polyester/ wool/ silk khadi bunting.” Earlier machine made and polyester flags are not allowed to be used.

    The Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is being celebrated to commemorate 75 years of a progressive independent India.

    The ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign has been launched to encourage the citizens to hoist the national flag in their homes from August 13 to 15.

    The home secretary also enclosed with his letter the salient features of the Flag Code including the changes made on December, 30, 2021 and July 20, 2022 and the frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the use and display of the national flag.

    “You are requested to ensure that these are widely disseminated among various organisations, PSUs under your administrative control,” the home secretary said in his letter.

  • MP cops file FIR against sellers over tricolour-themed products on Amazon

    By PTI

    BHOPAL: Police on Tuesday evening registered an FIR in Bhopal against unidentified sellers on e-commerce giant Amazon after it emerged that some products, including shoes, featuring images of the Indian flag were being sold on its platform in contravention of rules, an official said.

    The action came hours after Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra said the government has directed the police to register an FIR against officials of Amazon and its owner for allegedly selling products with images or imprint of the tricolour on them.

    Amazon faced the ire of a section of Indian social media users over merchandising some products, including apparel and food items, that feature images of the Indian flag, with some saying that using the tricolour in such a way was an insult and a violation of the country’s flag code.

    “It has come to my notice that our national flag is being used on products being sold by the online e-commerce platform Amazon. It (the national flag) has been used on shoes. This can not be tolerated,” Mishra, who is the state government spokesman, told reporters here.

    Prima facie, it is a violation of the National Flag Code, he said.

    “I have directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to file an FIR against Amazon’s officials and owner,” Mishra added.

    In the evening, Bhopal police’s Crime Branch registered a case against unidentified sellers on the Amazon platform on the basis of a compliant filed by a city resident.

    “Following a complaint, Bhopal’s Crime Branch has registered an FIR under section 2 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Act and section 505 (2) of the Indian Penal Code (related to public mischief) against unidentified sellers on Amazon and taking further steps,” Bhopal Police Commissioner Makrand Deuskar told PTI.

    The FIR, quoting the 26-year-old complainant, said the unidentified sellers have posted products, including T-shirts, mugs and shoes with the national flag printed on them on Amazon, which has hurt the sentiments of countrymen and insulted the tricolour.

    This is not the first time that the MP home minister has directed the police to take legal action against Amazon.

    Last November, Mishra had ordered the filing of an FIR against officials of Amazon over the suicide of a youth from MP who allegedly obtained poisonous sulphas (used as an agricultural fumigant and is poisonous) tablets through the e-commerce site.

    In another instance, the police in Bhind district had registered an FIR against unnamed officials of Amazon India after busting a gang that allegedly supplied ganja under the guise of selling stevia (a natural sweetener) through the e-commerce portal.

    Amazon had on Monday said it remains committed to take necessary action against sellers who may have listed any non-compliant products.

    Amazon.in is an online marketplace where third-party sellers offer products for sale directly to customers, and as such is responsible for ensuring compliances associated with the sale of these products, it said.

    “We require all products offered on the marketplace to comply with applicable laws and constantly take appropriate action on non-compliance. Amazon remains committed to taking necessary action against sellers who may have listed any non-compliant products,” the company said.