Workers prepare the Indian national flags. (Photo credit: PTI)
Opposing the recent amendments to the Flag Code of India, a 'Dhwaja Satyagraha' (march for flag) has been planned in Karnataka on July 30, along with a padayatra from July 29 to August 14. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is expected to be in Karnataka on August 3 to attend 'Siddaramotsava' – the 75th birthday celebrations of former Chief Minister and Congress leader Siddaramaih – is likely to be part of the protests against flag code amendments.
According to the Deccan Herald, the 'Satyagraha' will begin in Mysuru and end in Bengaluru to protect "Khadi flags" and reject "foreign-made Indian synthetic flags".
"Theatreperson Prasanna, GP Basavaraju, Horeyala Doreswamy, Panditahradhya, Leela Venkatesh and Ugranarasimhegowda, are all part of the campaign. The Satyagraha will be in a civilised manner. Art workshop, paintings exhibition, singing, dance, play, sale of khadi flags, khadi yarn making, handlooms and handmade items exhibition and discussions will be a part of it," K Kalachannegowda of the Nagarika Samithi was quoted as saying by the daily.
The opposition revolves around the fact that the government, in December 2021, had amended the flag code, allowing polyester to be used – apart from silk, khadi, wool and cotton – to make hand-woven and machine-made flags.
Paragraph 1.2 of Part-I of the Flag Code of India, 2002, reads 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 were not allowed to be used.
Further exemption of GST on the sale of the National Flag, along with the amendment allowing polyester flags, hasn't gone well with Karnataka Khadi Gramodyoga Samyukta Sangha (KKGSS)
KKGSS began the indefinite protest in Hubballi, along with the Congress, on Wednesday, July 27, The News Minute reported.
The report noted that KKGSS fears that due to the amendment, it might see a shortage of orders resulting in a loss of income.
However, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has assured the KKGSS will receive the maximum number of orders to manufacture the flags.
The assurance, however, has failed to allay the fears of KKGSS.
BJP is pseudo nationalist: Congress
Dubbing the ruling BJP "pseudo nationalist", the Congress earlier alleged that the saffron party has no understanding of the freedom struggle and its symbols, and sought the withdrawal of the amendment to the National Flag code.
Congress spokesperson Ajoy Kumar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has opened the door to mass import of Indian flags from China at a time when the Chinese troops remain in occupation of 1,000 square kilometres of fresh territory in Ladakh.
He also announced Congress' support for the "Dhwaja Satyagraha" in support of KKGSS' demands and withdrawal of the amendment to the law.
Kumar said Modi presents himself as the custodian of India's khadi industry and had made a call to Indians to purchase 'khadi' products last year in his 'Mann ki Baat' address.
The prime minister lectures Indians to be 'Vocal for Local', but his decisions are more in the spirit of 'Shanghai ki Mehengai', be it importing the bronze exterior of the Statue of Unity or a 45 per cent jump in imports from China to a record USD 94 billion in 2021-22, he said.
"By permitting the import of machine-made and imported polyester flags, PM Modi has attacked the essence of 'khadi' and the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi. While ensuring that thousands of workers lose their jobs, he has also made a mockery of the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign, making it into 'Har Ghar Mein Cheen Ka Bana Hua Tiranga'. The self-styled champion of 'khadi' will preside over the death of 'khadi', revealing himself to be a 'Polyester Monopolist'," Kumar told reporters.
We will go five steps ahead of UP and give our own model, said the higher education minister of Karnataka.
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