Significance Of Colours Of The National Flag
While adopting the Tiranga as the National Flag of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru asserted that the colours in the flag have no communal import. There are three principal colours in the Indian Flag - Saffron, White and Green-and A Secondary Colour, Blue of the Charkha. Each colour has a significance. Saffron stands for sacrifice: let us make it about selfless service to our society with honesty. White stands for purity: let us make it about corruption-free probity in public life. Green stands for growth: let us make it about sustainable development. The Ashok Chakra is the wheel that denotes movement, a way forward to peace, progress and prosperity.
Specifications Of The National Flag
In 1951, on a request from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Army Headquarters, after India adopted the Tiranga as the National Flag of the new Republic, the Indian Standards Institution (ISI, now Bureau of Indian Standards) laid down specifications of the flag. These were revised in 1964 to change the dimensions of the flag to the metric system. On 17 August, 1968, the specifications were revised for the second time. These cover all the essential requirements to manufacture the National Flag. The Government of India expressed a desire that the cloth to be used to stitch the flag should be hand-woven khadi in order to promote the cottage industry. So it was decided that the cloth, be it cotton, woollen or silk, would be hand-woven and the yarn used to make the cloth, too, would be handspun. Interestingly, even the sewing thread of three colours for stitching the flag would be of khadi. Thereafter, all flags were to be made of khadi alone. The Indian Standard describes the design and details of the National Flag of India as:The flag should be rectangular in shape and ratio of the length to the width shall be 3:2. The flag shall be in Tricolour panel made up of three rectangular panels or sub-panels of equal widths. The colours of the top panels shall be India-saffron (kesari), and that of the bottom panel shall be India-green, the middle panel shall be white bearing at its center the design of Ashoka Chakra in navy blue colour, approximately the size of the white band. The Ashoka Chakra shall have 24 spokes equally spaced and shall preferably be screen printed or otherwise printed or stenciled or suitably embroidered with navy blue colour.
Correct Display Of The National Flag
The Flag Code of India, 2002 came into existence on 26th January, 2002. As per the Flag Code of India, 2002, there is no restriction on the display of the National Flag by members of the general public, private oraganizations, educational institutions, etc. Certain clauses of the code have since been ameded, in 2005 and 2010.
1. The National Flag should occupy a position of honour & be distinctly placed wherever it is flown.
2. If the National Flag is flown in open on any public/private building, then it shall continue to do so on all days, including Sundays and holidays. It shall be flown from sunrise to sunset irrespective of weather conditions. The flag may be flown on such a building at night, but only on special occasions, as may be specified by the government. However, the Home Ministry in December, 2009, has relaxed this restriction for monumental flagpoles of 100 ft or above in height whereon the flag can be flown day and night, on all days, with proper illumination.
3. The National Flag shall always be hoisted briskly and lowered slowly and ceremoniously. If hoisting and lowering of the flag is accompanied by appropriate budge calls, then it should be done simultaneously.
4. When the National Flag is displayed from a staff projecting horizontally or at an angle from a windowsill, balcony, or front of a building, the saffron band shall be at the farther end of the staff.
5. When the National Flag is displayed horizontally on a wall, the saffron band shall be uppermost and when displayed vertically, it should be to the left of the person facing it.
6. When displayed over the middle of a street, running east-west or north south, the National Flag shall be suspended vertically with the saffron to the north, or to the west as the case may be.
7. When the National Flag is displayed on a speaker's platform, it shall be flown on a staff on the speaker's right as he faces the audience or flat against the wall above and behind the speaker.
8. On occasions like the unveiling of a statue, the National Flag shall be displayed distinctly and separately. Note: The National Flag shall not be used as a covering for any statue or monument.
9. When the National Flag is displayed alone on a VVIP's motor car, it shall be flown from a staff which should be affixed firmly to the car in the middle front of the bonnet. General public, however, can display the National Flag only inside their cars on dashboard or wind screen and not outside.
10. While carrying the National Flag in a procession or a parade, it shall be either on the marching right or if there is a line of other flags, then in front of the centre of the line of other flags.
11. Since 2005, the government has allowed display of National Flag on costumes, dresses, etc. but only above waistline in the form of a lapel pin, wristband, cufflinks and also on helmets, suncaps, T-shirts etc. Earlier, the flag could not form part or portion of any costume or dress.
Incorrect Display Of The National Flag
1. A damaged or dishevelled National Flag must not be displayed.
2. The flag must not be dipped to salute any person or thing.
3. No other flag or bunting shall be placed higher than, above or side by side with the National Flag; nor shall any object, including flowers or garlands or emblem be placed on or above the flag mast from which the National Flag is flown.
4. The flag should not be flown at half-mast except on occasions and in accordance with the instructions issued by the government.
5. No inscriptions or lettering of any kind should be put upon the flag.
6. The flag shall not be used as a receptacle for receiving, delivery, holding or carrying anything, provided that there shall be no objection to keeping flower petals inside the flag before it is unfurled
7. The flag should not be used as a covering for a building.
8. The National Flag must not be used as a festoon, rosette or bunting or in any other manner for decoration;nor shall other coloured pieces of cloth be so arranged as to give the appearance of the National Flag.
9. The National Flag must not be used to cover a speaker's desk nor should it be draped over a speaker's platform.
10. The National Flag must not be intentionally displayed with the saffron down.
11. The National Flag must not be intentionally allowed to touch the ground or the floor or trail in the water. 12. The National Flag must not be displayed or fastened in any manner that may damage it.
Misuse Of The National Flag
1. The flag must not be used for any commercial purposes in violation of the Emblems & Names Act, 1950.
2. The National Flag must not be used as a drapery in any form whatsoever except in state/military funerals.
3. The National Flag must not be used or stored in such a manner that may damage or soil it.
4. The flag shall not be draped over the hood, top, sides or back of a vehicle, train, boat or an aircraft.
5. The flag should not be flown from a single masthead simultaneously with any other flag or flags.
During hoisting or lowering of the flag or when the flag is passing in a parade or in a review, all persons present should face the flag and stand in attention. Those present in uniform should render the appropriate salute. When the flag is in moving column, persons present will stand in attention or salute as the flag passes them. A dignitary may take the salute without a head dress.
