Sangrur govt schools directed to sell flags, teachers oppose move

While officials claimed that it was a “voluntary exercise” being carried out to ensure that the national flags was distributed to everyone, the teachers said they were being asked to furnish reports pertaining to the sale of flags on a daily basis

The administration has designated all government schools across the district as authorised points for the sale of national flags under the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign, and allegedly assigned them a target to sell at least 50 flags that are priced at ₹25 each.

The administration has designated all government schools across the district as authorised points for the sale of national flags under the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign, and allegedly assigned them a target to sell at least 50 flags that are priced at ₹25 each (HT PHOTO)

Calling the directives a scheme to collect money from parents and children, a section of teachers has roundly opposed the move, saying it will add to the parents’ financial burden, and will be tantamount to wasting time, which could otherwise be spent teaching the children. Teachers’ unions have also met district education officers and demanded that the assignment be withdrawn.

While department officials claimed that it was a “voluntary exercise” being carried out to ensure that the Tricolour was distributed to everyone, the teachers said the department was asking them to furnish reports pertaining to the sale of flags on a daily basis.

Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF) vice-president Raghvir Singh said, “The administration is trying to heap additional financial burden on parents. If the department wanted them to have flags, they should have provided them free of cost.”

Sukhwinder Singh, district president of the union, said, “The district administration and education department have turned teachers into salespersons. The task should instead be assigned to departments or officers who directly deal with the public.”

Sangrur deputy commissioner Jitendra Jorwal said, “This is a voluntary exercise. We are not forcing anyone to do it. It is an attempt to provide flags to everyone under the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign.”

Sangrur district education officer Kultarnjit Singh said, “We have made all school sale points for distribution of flags. We are not forcing children or anyone else to purchase them. Anyone can purchase the flags from the schools, and teachers will deposit the money collected into the designated account.”

No response to MP’s call to hoist Sikh flag

Sangrur MP and Shiromani Akali Dal (Mann Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann’s call to hoist the Sikh flag instead of the Tricolour has not got any response in the district so far.

Jaskaran Singh, general secretary of the party, said, “We have no plan to distribute Sikh flags to anyone. We cannot force anyone to hoist the flag. People have started hoisting Sikh flags at their homes on their own. We have just given a message to the community.”