Guwahati: The National Flag of India was adopted in its present form during the meeting of the Constituent Assembly held on 22 July 1947.
National Flag of India
- The version of the flag closest to the current one came into existence in 1923. It was designed by Pingali Venkayya and had saffron, white and green stripes with the spinning wheel placed in the white section. It was hoisted on April 13, 1923, in Nagpur during an event commemorating the Jallianwallah Bagh Massacre. It was named the Swaraj Flag and became the symbol of India’s demand for Self-rule led by the Indian National Congress.
- The resolution to adopt the tricolor as the National Flag of India was passed in 1931. On July 22, 1947, the Constituent Assembly of India adopted the Swaraj Flag as the National Flag of Sovereign India with the Ashok Chakra replacing the spinning wheel.
Indian National Flag Colours Meaning
- The National flag of India is a horizontal tricolour of deep saffron (Kesari) at the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom in equal proportion.
- The ratio of the width of the flag to its length is two to three.
- In the centre of the white band is a navy-blue wheel that represents the chakra. Its design is that of the wheel which appears on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka.
- Its diameter approximates the width of the white band and it has 24 spokes.
As India is geared up to celebrate the 76th Independence Day, the Government of India has launched a new campaign, ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’.
As a part of the campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed to all the citizens to display the National Flag in every home from August 13 to August 15.
The Flag Code of India 2022, which was amended by the government for easy access, consists of set laws concerning the use, display, and hoisting of the Indian national flag.
However, there are a few rules that every citizen must follow to hoist the flag at home:
I. The National Flag on display should occupy the position of honour and should be distinctly placed.
II. A damaged or dishevelled flag should never be displayed. The Tricolour should always be in perfect condition.
III. The National Flag should never be displayed inverted, which means the saffron band should never be at the bottom.
IV. The National Flag should not be dipped in salute to any person or thing.
V. No other flag or bunting should be placed higher than or above or side by side with the National Flag.
VI. No object, including flowers, garlands, or emblems, should be placed on or above the flag mast.
VII. The National Flag should not be used as a festoon, rosette, bunting, or in any other way for decoration.
VIII. The National Flag should not touch the ground or the floor or trail in the water under any circumstance or condition.
IX. There should be no lettering on the Tricolour.
On the occasion of 75 years of India’s independence, the government has directed all people to fly the tricolour from house to house from August 13-15. Now the question arises that it will not hurt the dignity of our flag!! Can everyone hoist the flag with full dignity? Does the general public know the rules of raising, lowering, tying, jumping the flag?
But on social media platforms, it has been seen that many people are changing the colour of the flag in the city and selling it, have seen that they are tied to the railings along the highway?
Meanwhile, a few have also draped the Indian flag on their cars, bikes and vehicles. Although the intentions of citizens draping the tiranga on their vehicle may not be wrong, the move can still land them in trouble as it is against the law to drape the Indian National Flag over the hood, top, and sides or back or on a vehicle.
As per the Flag Code of India, draping the Indian National Flag over the hood, top, and sides or back or on a vehicle, train, boat or an aircraft or any other similar object is considered as a disrespect to the Indian National Flag. According to the Flag Code of India anyone not abiding with this law shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both. Apart from this, the act also reveals that the National Flag shall be a tri-colour panel made up of three rectangular panels or sub-panels of equal widths. The colour of the top panel shall be India saffron (Kesari) and that of the bottom panel shall be India green. The middle panel shall be white, bearing at its centre the design of Ashoka Chakra in navy blue colour with 24 equally spaced spokes. The Ashoka Chakra shall preferably be screen printed or otherwise printed or stenciled or suitably embroidered and shall be completely visible on both sides of the Flag in the centre of the white panel.
The Flag Code of India also reveals that an appropriate size should be chosen for display. The flags of 450 x 300 mm size are intended for aircrafts on VVIP flights, 225 x 150 mm size for motor-cars and 150 x 100 mm size for table flags.