JOIN USTo be touchy or not
The Ukrainian girls who ‘dishonoured’ the Indian national flag might land up in jail courtesy the protest by the Indian government but desecration of the Indian tricolour is a not-so-touchy affair for everyone in our own homeland.
Members of an activist group of Ukraine, these girls draped themselves in the tricolour, went topless and then tore the flag as a protest against India reportedly tightening visa rules for young women from Ukraine suspected of travelling here for sex trade.
How the Ukrainian authorities will respond to the Indian government’s plea for action against these girls for dishonouring the national flag, is a separate issue but the incident does raise the question of whether Indians are being unnecessarily sensitive about the issue.
Metrolife does a reality check: A lot of people we spoke to believe that the flag is a unifying national symbol that deserves respect but there were others who felt that showing respect to the tricolour is not the only way of being patriotic.
A merchant navy officer Captain Bhraman Rattan feels that “Indians tend to overreact in matters like these. In the US and some other countries, people make underwear with their flags. What is the use of respecting the national flag when at the same time one is not paying his taxes or taking bribes?’ he asks.
Though he does believe that the flag is a unifying symbol, Bhraman also says, “It is not the only one and its importance should not be exaggerated. We are a diverse country and the flag is a surely a unifying symbol but sometimes it is given exaggerated importance.”
Sargam Mehra, a student, seconds Bhraman and denies being fussy about the tricolour. “The flag is just a national symbol. There is a Constitution also and there are laws. When one is not touchy about not following rules and regulations, he or she should not express patriotism merely by respecting the flag. I wear tricolour bangles and kurti because it makes for a beautiful colour combination,” she states matter of factly.
Interestingly for Sargam, the unifying national symbol is the Indian currency. “In our country, we speak various languages and have different festivals in different regions but what we have common is the Indian currency, For me that is a unifying symbol.”
Prior to 2002, public was not allowed to fly the national flag except on designated holidays.
Only government offices and higher functionaries could do so. A PIL in Delhi High Court filed by MP and industrialist Naveen Jindal, seeking relaxation of these restrictions led to the amendment of the Indian flag code, allowing general public to hoist the flag but with all due dignity, honour and respect.
Therefore, some do feel that if this freedom has been accorded, it is important to maintain the flag’s dignity. “It’s outrageous if somebody disrespects my national flag.
Whenever I see flags lying on the roadside I pick them up and take them home. I hoist a flag at home on Republic Day and place it in my wardrobe on the topshelf,” says a telecom expert Sandeep Mirakhur, for whom the unifying national symbol is Mahatma Gandhi as his teachings and values cut across boundaries.
Chetan Sharma, a media professional, feels that a unifying national symbol cannot be anything or anyone else other than the tricolour and hence it surely deserves the highest respect. “A martyr’s body is always draped in the national flag which means it has the highest value and the respect for the tricolour should come naturally. If somebody disrespects the flag intentionally, that person should definitely be punished,” he says.