CHENNAI: Close to one lakh employees and officials of the Southern Railway (SR), ICF, and other railway branches have been asked to hoist the national flag in their houses on August 15 as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, a series of events to celebrate the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence. The programme — Har Ghar Tiranga (tricolour at every door) — is an initiative of the Union Home Ministry.
Though a senior SR official said the exercise was voluntary, a May 22 directive issued to SR and other zones by Vinay Kumar Tripathi, chairman and CEO, Railway Board, asked officials to ensure 100% participation of employees in the event. In Chennai alone, there are about 14,000 houses on railway premises.
“…railway employees are requested to convey this to their friends and relatives to maximize the hoisting of the Indian National Flag,” said another order by the Railway Board.Officials said all employees, including group C and D staff, would be encouraged to hoist the flag. “The national flags may be purchased from the website of Har Ghar Tiranga,” said an official quoting the directive.
The tricolour is usually unfurled on Independence Day by the general managers of the SR and the ICF and divisional railway managers. This is the first time other employees of the Railways have been asked to hoist the national flag in their houses.
R Elangovan, former vice president of Dakshin Railways Employees Union (DREU), said everyone should unfurl the national flag to remind them of their responsibility to protect the spirit of the Constitution. “The present regime at the Centre has weakened the institutions created to safeguard people’s rights,” he said, adding that the employees should not be compelled to participate in the exercise under the pretext of proving their patriotism.The SR has also been told to promote the programme.