Mulling keeping tricolour hoisted day and night? Here are a few things to keep in mind

With the Centre amending the Flag Code, 2002, people can now keep the tricolour hoisted in their homes day and night. Read on to find out how to handle the national flag properly.

With the Centre tweaking the Flag Code-2002 as a part of the Har Ghar Tiranga drive, people can now keep the tricolour hoisted in their homes day and night. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged people to display national flags from August 13 to 15 as part of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ to commemorate 75 years of a progressive independent India.

The government has set a target of hoisting the national flag at the homes of 20 crore people. However, there are several rules to be followed while handling the national flag to avoid insulting the tricolour in any way. Here’s a list of a few dos and don’ts.

ALSO READ | How Centre tweaked Flag Code to ensure ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign’s success

- According to Flag Code 2002, the tricolor should be rectangular. It can be of any size, but the ratio of its length to breadth must be 3:2.

- On special days mentioned in the code, tricolors made of paper can be unfurled, but they cannot be thrown or torn. It is necessary to dispose of tricolours made of paper with respect.

- Hoisting the tricolor is a fundamental right of every citizen, but it does not mean one can roam around putting it up in the car. According to the Flag Code, only people holding constitutional posts are allowed to wear the tricolor.

- If a foreign guest is provided a car by the Centre, the tricolor will be on the right side of that car, while the national flag of that country will be on the left. If the President travels by a special train, the tricolor will be displayed on the driver's cabin on the platform while the train is standing. If the President travels by plane, then the national flag will also be put on it. Similarly, when the Prime Minister or the Vice-President travels to any country, the national flag is put on the aircraft.