Every time the tricolour fluttered over the Red Fort in New Delhi, the people of North Karnataka had a reason to feel proud, as the hand spun, hand woven khadi flag was made in the country’s sole BIS-approved flag manufacturing unit in Hubballi.
However, the Union Government’s recent move to amend the National Flag Code, allowing polyester and imported cloth, has come as a shocker to many. Khadi activists are up in arms against the Centre for making an amendment that they consider a “sacrilege”. They contend that the move will only dilute the definition of khadi but also undermine the spirit of freedom struggle.
As per rule 1. 2 of part 1 of the Flag code of India 2002, only khadi or hand-spun cloth was the material for the flag. Use of other material was punishable. But the recent amendment has changed it to “The National Flag shall be made of hand spun and hand woven or machine made, cotton, polyester, wool, silk khadi bunting.” That means machine made polyester that is made in India or imported from elsewhere can now be used for the tricolour.
