Pride in peril: Staff at Hubballi’s khadi tricolour unit flag concerns

Hubballi: For the first time in two decades of her association with the national flag production centre in Hubballi, Ruksanabegum Raichur along with other workers, is stitching khadi bags instead of tricolours ahead of this Independence Day. 

Unlike the corresponding period of earlier years, flag production here has come to a kind of temporary halt as the stocks are huge, while sales have plummeted.

Formerly, the centre run by the Karnataka Khadi Gramodyaga Samyukta Sangha (Federation) at Bengeri here was the only khadi flag production unit in the country authorised by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

Not withdrawing the amendment to the Flag Code of India in 2021-22, which allowed the use of polyester flags and machine-made flags ahead of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations, is being blamed for this situation, as polyester flags are cheaper and easily available in the market.

“We used to work overtime (OT) till a couple of years back, and we used to be too busy here ahead of Independence Day. We did not do OT last year. Our monthly earnings have come down from Rs 10,000 to Rs 4,000,” said Ruksanabegum.

According to KKGSS secretary Shivanand Mathapati, the amendment to the flag code has resulted in less sales of BIS-certified hand-woven and hand-spun khadi flags.

“A large portion of our annual sales was before Independence Day. We flag stocks worth Rs two crore now, and major orders are not coming. Workers are engaged in stitching khadi bags for their livelihood,” he said. 

The Khadi and Village Industries Commission and the union government have been urged to take steps to withdraw the amendment to the flag code, Mathapati said.

“The situation has put a question mark on the very future of the national flag production centre here,” he noted, adding that the impact would also be on weavers in Bagalkot district who supply khadi cloth to the centre.

While the KKGSS’ centre with 22 workers (21 women) is authorised to produce flags (nine sizes) as per BIS standards since 2004-05, Dharwad Taluk Garag Kshetriya Seva Sangh (DTGKSS) at Garag near Dharwad got BIS licence in 2023 to produce khadi flags of 2x3 feet size. 

The khadi flag has been a symbol of values that guided the freedom struggle and self-reliance through cottage industries.

“A polyester flag (2X3 feet) costs less than Rs 400, while khadi flag with ISI mark is priced at Rs 1,050, resulting in less demand for the latter,” DTGKSS chairman I D Itagi said.