JOIN USThe Home Ministry took the decision following a proposal by industrialist Naveen Jindal, who had earlier won a court battle in the 1990s for flying the national flag, as a fundamental right for every citizen.
In a communication to Jindal, also a Congress leader and Member of Parliament, the Ministry said it has examined the proposal, submitted in June 2009, and had no objection to installing “giant flagpoles for flying the National Flag day and night at various places.”
Citing the example of countries like Malaysia, Jordon, Abu Dhabi, North Korea, Brazil, Mexico and Turkmenistan where monumental flags are flown at night, Jindal proposed for such flags to be flown in India also.
Jindal had said the National Flag is to be flown in “as far as possible between sunrise and sunset” as per the Flag Code of India.
In response to Jindal’s letter, the Ministry said such flagpoles could be installed provided there was adequate arrangement for proper illumination of flags at night with backup in case of power failure and the flags are replaced immediately as soon as they get damaged due to vagaries of nature.
After almost a decade long legal battle initiated by Jindal on behalf of the people of India to give them the right to hoist the National Tricolour publicly, the Supreme Court in 1996 passed a landmark judgment allowing every citizen to fly the National Flag with respect, dignity and honour, thus making it a fundamental right.
Undeterred by directions to remove the National Flag from his factory premises, Jindal fought a 7-year long legal battle and finally emerged victorious in 2002. The Centre approved the recommendations of an inter-ministerial panel and removed the earlier restrictions on the use of the Tricolour.