Tricolour ‘insulted’ at Ambala MC office, FIR lodged
Ambala City police station house officer (SHO) inspector Ram Kumar said upon verification, it was found that the flag was hoisted by MC officials on Independence Day last year and it had not been removed or changed since then.
Police on Saturday registered a criminal case after the national flag was found torn atop the office of municipal corporation in Ambala City.
The action came a day after a web channel showed how the torn flag had been left unattended at the office.
Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Satish Kumar, station in-charge, Police Post Number 4, and complainant in the case said he was watching the news on his mobile phone when he saw a video of the flag. “The video showed the national flag hoisted on the building of municipal corporation, Ambala City, torn and dirty, which is disrespect to the Tricolour,” the ASI added.
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On his complaint, a case under Section 2 of the Prevention of Insult to National Honours was registered at the Ambala City police station.
Ambala City police station house officer (SHO) inspector Ram Kumar said upon verification, it was found that the flag was hoisted by MC officials on Independence Day last year and it had not been removed or changed since then. “With time, the fabric of the flag got old and torn,” he said, adding that investigation was underway, records will be sought and responsibility will be fixed to take appropriate action.
The nation observed the “Har Ghar Tiranga” campaign from August 13 to 15 last year to mark “Azadi ka Amrit Mohatsav”.
Number of flags that were hoisted at government offices, residences and other private places, but were not removed respectfully despite efforts by various groups, people familiar with the development said.
In July last year, the Union government had amended the Flag Code of India, 2002, to allow the national flag to remain hoisted through the night if it was in the open and hoisted by a member of the public. Earlier, the flag could be hoisted only between sunrise and sunset.
However, the code prescribes 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.”
Following the successful campaign, the government had listed out a series of steps to be followed on how the flag should be folded and stored respectfully.