Hubballi: Flag makers and congressional leaders on Wednesday protested the amendment to the National Flag Code that will now allow the use of polyester flags, instead of just khadi.
Former Minister Umashri and incumbent Pradesh Congress Speaker Satish Jarkiholi participated in the protest along with hundreds of national flag makers from Dharwad, Bagalkote and other districts.
They staged a dharna protest at the Karnataka Khadi Gramodyoga Sangh premises in Bengeri and called on the Union government to hear their plea and withdraw the amendment.
Desai Gundurao, 95, from Kamalapur, near Hampi, who has worn khadi for more than 80 years, was the main attraction at the protest. He said he supported the weavers’ protest. “It is painful that the Union Government, disregarding the significance of the national flag and the struggle associated with it, has changed the code. The government should withdraw the amendment without too much delay,” Gundurao said.
If a polyester national flag is allowed to fly, the khadi will lose its identity. Many poor families will be forced into trouble, he added. “I will be writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveying the feelings of the khadi lovers and bringing to his attention the impact the amendment will have on the weavers. I am not a good writer so I will take the help from some friends and write the letter,” Gundurao added.
Former minister Umashri said she thought changing the code was akin to “rashtra droh”. “The national flag has its history. After many struggles and sacrifices, the national flag was granted to us. Thousands of families depend on khadi. Allowing polyester national flags will kill the khadi,” she said. “The government should withdraw the amendment.”
Speaking to reporters in Belagavi, Jarkiholi said that with the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign, the BJP was trying to hijack the Habs. “The BJP has no moral right to use the national flag because none of its leaders have participated in the freedom struggle. To counter it, more than a million people will march through the streets of Bengaluru with tricolor flags,” he said.