Dos and Don'ts of hoisting the National Flag of India

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the 75th year of India's Independence, Prime Minister Modi has launched the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, which kick started today and will continue till Monday, i.e., August 15.

Under the campaign, the Centre has urged people to hoist or display the tricolour in their homes to celebrate the 75th anniversary of India's independence.

It is important to understand the basic Dos and Don'ts of hoisting the National Flag:

According to the Flag Code of India, the Tiranga can be hoisted on all occasions at all places without disrespecting its dignity and honour.

The code says that the Flag can be of any size but its ratio of length to height must be 3:2 in the rectangular shape.

Overruling clause XI of paragraph 2.2 of Part II of the Flag Code of India to unfurl the national flag after sunset only, Tiranga can now be displayed on the house of any person in the country at whatever time in the 24 hours of the day.

"where the Flag is displayed in open or displayed on the house of the member of the public, it may be flown day and night," states the new rule.

However, it is necessary for the person hoisting the national flag to make sure that the flag is not hoisted in an inverted manner--that is the saffron part of the flag should fly high.

The flag you are hoisting must not display a damaged tricolour and neither it should touch the ground or water. In other words, the national flag should not be damaged in whatsoever way.

Moreover, the person hoisting the flag must ensure that the flag is not flown from the extreme top part of the flagpole with any other flag.

In case, the National Flag is damaged, it should be disposed off in a way that its dignity is not hurt. The Flag Code of India suggests that it should be completely destroyed in private by burning it; and if it is paper-made, make sure that its is not abandoned on the ground.

In short, the National Flag of India should be discarded in complete privacy, keeping in mind the dignity of Tiranga.

A citizen, a private organization or an educational institution may hoist or display the National Flag on all days and occasions. There is no restriction on the timing of flag display.

The government has amended the Flag Code of India to allow the tricolour to be displayed in the open and on individual houses or buildings day and night.

Earlier, Indians were allowed to hoist their National Flag only on some specific occasions but it changed after a decade-long legal battle of industrialist Naveen Jindal which culminated in the January 23, 2004 landmark judgment of the Supreme Court of India, that declared that the Right To fly the National Flag freely with Respect and Dignity a 'fundamental right of an Indian citizen' within the meaning of Article 19(1) (a) of the Constitution of India.

Lauding the Centre and PM Modi for the Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign, Naveen Jindal has urged every Indian to make 'Har Din Tiranga' their motto.

The Flag Code of India was earlier amended in December last year allowing the use of polyester, apart from cotton, wool, silk and khadi for making hand-spun, hand-woven and machine-made flags.