Tricolour that gave India purpose and a message of unity
The Indian Constituent Assembly today (July 22, 1947) unanimously adopted the Tricolour as the National Flag of India
New Delhi: The Indian Constituent Assembly today (July 22, 1947) unanimously adopted the Tricolour as the National Flag of India. All members without exception stood up for half a minute in solemn silence to pass the resolution and pay homage to the Flag of the Nation. As already announced, the design has the approval of Mahatma Gandhi.
Later, the House agreed to preserve the two flags, one made of silk khadi and the other of cotton khadi which Pandit Nehru had unfurled while moving the resolution, as national monuments to be kept in the National Museum.
The proceedings surpassed the expectation of everyone by the warmth, patriotic emotion and unanimity. Pandit Nehru’s introductory speech was couched in words befitting the great occasion and some thought that no more speeches were necessary. But the House felt otherwise. Even when the President seemed inclined to accept the closure of the debate after half a dozen members had spoken, the House demanded that full opportunity should be given to members to speak on the occasion. As one member said: “A nation adopts its flag only once. Let us have our say.” So it became the National Flag Day in the Constituent Assembly.
Congressmen, Leaguers, Sikhs, Christians, Parsis and others vied with one another in acclaiming the flag. The House particularly welcomed the speeches made by the leader and deputy leader of the Muslim League, Chaudhri Khaliq-uz-Zaman, and Mohammad Saadullah. Both saluted the Flag and promised their unstinted loyalty to the Nation and its Flag.
The climax was reached when, after 22 members had spoken, Naidu was called upon by the House to give the finishing touch to the proceedings. After an eloquent speech, she dramatically raised her hands and called upon the august Assembly to rise and salute the flag. In so doing, she symbolised Mother India calling her sons to hold the flag and to uphold its honour.
Pandit Nehru, who moved the resolution on the flag, was cheered when he rose to move it; repeated cheers punctuated his speech and the climax was reached when he presented the flag and shouts of Jai Hind rang out from many quarters.
The House was full and every member was conscious of the solemnity of the occasion. Pandit Nehru commending his resolution stated that the flag he was proposing was the one round which India’s struggle for freedom had been fought. On occasions when they were down and out it was this flag that gave them courage. Many died holding on to the flag and passed it to their successors. The flag marked the triumphant conclusion of their struggle and the sadness caused by certain events such as the cutting off of a part of their motherland, and the tragedies caused by disorders did not detract from the triumph.
Continuing, Pandit Nehru said that as they were about to achieve their freedom it was necessary to adopt the symbols of that freedom. The flag was already acclaimed by the people and he was only moving its formal adoption. It would stand for freedom. But that did not mean that the freedom struggle had been won. There would be no freedom so long as a single human being in the world was under bondage and the people did not get the opportunity to grow.
Pandit Nehru made it clear that the flag did not represent communities. Despite her degradation, India had kept her head, her thought, and her ideals high. The charkha on the flag had been slightly varied. A wheel represented it; it was fortunate that the wheel was also the chakra associated with the name of Asoka, one of the most magnificent names in history.
The three amendments to the resolution on the national flag were not moved. Seth Govind Das and Mr Pillai supported the resolution.
Chaudhri Khaliq-uz-Zaman supporting the resolution on behalf of Muslim League members said that as a loyal citizen of India it was the duty of every one to enhance the prestige of the national flag. “We should try to forget the bitter happenings of the past, and I hope the majority will also forget it. Let us make a new history of India in which everybody is respected and has equal opportunity.”
Referring to the national flag, he said that even though it was a piece of cloth, it represented the aspirations and honour of the nation. He did not think there was room for difference in anybody as far as the resolution was concerned. He was sure that every Muslim and Christian would take pride in hoisting the national flag and honour it.
Sir Radhakrishnan characterised the flag as linking up the past with the present, and said that those who were architects of India’s liberty fought under this flag. He said that the wheel represented something which perpetually move with the time. This meant that such things as caste and untouchability must go. “This wheel indicates to us all that ‘there is death in stagnation and life in movement’.” The orange colour meant renunciation. This indicated that the leaders of the people must be disinterested. He was glad that the flag represented a free. flexible, compassionate democratic society in which Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Buddhists, and all, would find safe shelter.
Excerpts from a report published in HT’s edition of July 23, 1947.