New Delhi: Any disrespect or contempt shown to the tricolour can land you in jail. The Narendra Modi government has called for wide publicity and sensitisation of Central and state departments as well as the public to strictly use “paper flags” instead of plastic flags and ensure that national flags are disposed in ways that are consistent with the “dignity of the flag”.
The MHA has received complaints about insult and disrespect being shown to the national flag on several occasions, promoting it to issue an advisory last week.
Offences such as “disfiguring, burning, destroying, defiling, trampling, or bringing into contempt the national flag by words, either spoken or written, can invite up to three years jail term, fine or both,” the MHA has said in its latest advisory sent to all state governments, Cabinet secretariat, the President secretariat, the Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha, the SC, the HCs, and all government offices.
Offences such as “disfiguring, burning, destroying, defiling, trampling or bringing into contempt the national flag by words, either spoken or written, can invite up to three years’ jail term, fine or both,” the MHA has said in its latest advisory sent to all state governments, cabinet secretariat, president secretariat, Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, Supreme Court, high courts and central government offices.
Home minister Rajnath Singh is also pitching for a total ban on plastic flags. In its advisory, the ministry has said that it has come to its notice that on important events, national flags made of plastic are used in place of paper flags. “Plastic flags are non-biodegradable and hence not easily decomposed.”
The plastic flags do not get decomposed for a long time and are harmful for the environment, the ministry adds.
Seeking to ban plastic flags, the MHA has said all government bodies must ensure that at all national, cultural or sports events and functions, the public uses only paper flags.
It must also be ensured that such paper flags are not discarded or thrown on the ground after the event. The ministry has called for strict compliance with the provisions of the Flag Code of India, 2002 and Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, failing which the penal provisions of the law will be invoked.
