HYDERABAD: Were the officials of the department of Roads and Buildings and Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) aware of the national flag code when they repaired the largest national flag, which was torn by strong winds, and hoisted it again at Sanjeeviah Park on Monday night?
Part III of the National Flag Code, 2002, which relates to display of the National Flag by Central and State governments, states: “Damaged or disheveled flag should not be displayed” and “When the Flag is in a damaged condition, it shall not be cast aside or disrespectfully disposed of but shall be destroyed as a whole in private, preferably by burning or by any other method consistent with the dignity of the Flag.”
On Monday evening, when the authorities noticed a one-and-a-half feet tear in the top corner of the flag, they lowered it immediately. As the proportions of the spare flag did not match, they repaired the torn flag for which a local tailor was summoned. A saffron colour cloth was sewn on top of the damage, before hoisting the flag again.
Refuting allegations of disrespect to the national flag, I Ganapathi Reddy, chief engineer of R&B department, claimed that it was the spare flag that was hoisted.
“Where was the damage to the flag? The old one was lowered and another spare flag was hoisted,” he said, though the fact remains that the wind-torn flag was repaired on the spot and hoisted again.
Strangely, Ganapathy Reddy said that such rules do not apply for the flag in Sanjeevaiah Park. “Our flag is a commemorative flag and the Flags Foundation of India has taken a special permission for it,” asserted Reddy.