Congress demands scrapping of amendment to Flag Code of India

The party targeted PM Modi alleging that he 'acts like the ambassador of khadi' but has actually 'denigrate khadi and Mahatma Gandhi'

Congress on Friday rose in support of the decision of the Karnataka Khadi Gramodyoga Samyukta Sangha to hold a 'satyagraha' demanding the scrapping of an amendment to the Flag Code of India 2002 that would allow the use of machine-made polyester tricolour along with handspun or handwoven national flags.

The party targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the decision, alleging that he "acts like the ambassador of khadi" but has actually "denigrate khadi and Mahatma Gandhi" and the decision would lead to loss of jobs and make a mockery of ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ (Tricolour in Every House) campaign as part of the 75th year of Independence.

Senior Congress leader Ajoy Kumar told a press conference that the Karnataka Khadi Gramodyoga Samyukta Sangha is the only unit licensed to produce Khadi national flags and facing closure following the decision, which he said could turn ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign to ‘Har Ghar Mein Cheen Ka Bana Hua Tiranga’ (Chinese made tricolour in every house).

"The self-styled champion of khadi will preside over the death of khadi, revealing himself to be a Polyester monopolist," he said, adding that the Congress fully associates itself with the 'Dhwaja Satyagraha' of the Sangha.

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Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh tweeted, "those who did not participate in the freedom struggle, did not hoist the tricolour in Nagpur for 52 years, what will they understand about the country's relationship with the tricolour and khadi. By allowing the import of the tricolour of polyester, arrangements were made to install 'Har Ghar China's Tricolour'-- the China who occupied our land."

The government had in December last year amended the Flag Code of India, 2002 to allow machine-made polyester flags, and officials have claimed that the move would help in bringing down the cost of tricolour and help in the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign. Earlier, only handspun or handwoven or cotton or silk khadi bunting were allowed.

"This is another stark reminder that our pseudo-nationalist ruling party has no understanding of our freedom struggle. The 'tiranga' is a symbol of the country’s freedom and sovereignty. Khadi signifies how Indians defeated the mighty British using the simple charkha, a symbol of self-sufficiency, spiritual humility, national integrity, social equality, communal harmony and ahimsa," Kumar said.

"These are values alien to the BJP and its predecessors who played no role in the freedom movement, in the design of the national flag or in the popularisation of khadi", he said, adding the RSS had refused for half a century to hoist the tricolour at its Nagpur headquarters.

"The Karnataka Khadi Gramodyoga Samyukta Sangha is the only unit licensed to produce khadi national flags, and is facing closure as a result of this decision. The Congress fully associates itself at the national and state level with its 'Dhwaja Satyagraha' and urges all nationalist forces to join in," he added.