220 torn, soiled National Flags removed in Ambala

Nearly three weeks after superintendent of police (SP) Jashandeep Singh Randhawa ordered the removal of all torn National Flags, 220 such flags have been taken off by 14 police stations in the district so far.

Most of the flags were hoisted at public and private establishments during the “Har Ghar Tiranga” campaign from August 13 to 15 last year, to mark “Azadi ka Amrit Mohatsav”, and had either got torn or soiled over time. The Flag Code of India, laid down by the Union ministry of home affairs, mandates that a damaged or soiled national flag has to be destroyed “as a whole in private, preferably by burning or any other method considering the dignity of the National Flag.”

Sharing details, SP said out of the total 220, the highest 55 have been removed under the limits of Parao police station that covers highly dense areas of railway station, bus stand and NH-44.

Forty-five flags have been taken-off by cops from Baldev Nagar and Sector 9 police stations, followed by 16 under city police station and 10 each by Cantonment, Mullana and Panjokhra stations.

Mahesh Nagar police station on Jagadhari road removed nine flags, Barara seven, Shahzadpur and Saha five each and three under Sadar police station, the SP added.

No Flag was removed or found by the Naraingarh and Naggal police stations, the data revealed.

“The campaign is still underway and I would appeal to the public to remove such flags to maintain the dignity of tricolor. Such flags can be taken off and folded respectfully to either burn them or by placing the Flag in a box to bury it at a clean place,” Randhawa further said.

The whole campaign by the police comes following a criminal case that was registered under Prevention of Insult to National Honours Act at Ambala city police station on February 24 after a web channel showed a torn flag hoisted atop the Ambala City municipal corporation office.

A probe is underway in the case and no arrest has been made so far, SP said.