Schools receive ‘torn’ Tricolour
Jalandhar, August 11
Torn and asymmetrical national flags have allegedly been shipped to a number of schools for the “Har Ghar Tiranga” campaign in the district.
Instructions to hoist these flags (on the school campus) were reportedly issued by the District Education Officer (DEO) on August 9. A flag cost between Rs 18 and Rs 25 per piece.
Return or exchange
The national flags are being issued by the administration (DC office). Schools have been asked to return or exchange the flags with defects. —Gursharan Singh, DEO (Elementary), Jalandhar
No teacher forced to buy flags
No teacher has been forced to buy the Tricolour. The purchase of flags is voluntary. As far as quality is concerned, teachers have been asked to return the flags having flaws. —Jaspreet Singh, Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner
In one of the flags received by an urban school, there’s a white streak running down the middle of the saffron stripe. The Ashoka Chakra (supposed to be in the middle) with a white background is on the extreme left. The green stripe forms the narrowest part of the flag.
As per instructions from the DEO, two flag sizes —20×30 (Rs 25 per piece) and 16×24 (Rs 18 per piece) — were to be bought. However, the flags shipped to schools differ in size.
At some rural and urban schools, teachers alleged that they had been forced to buy flags. A teacher at urban primary school said, “We were forced to buy 10 flags. The stripes differ in size and some are torn. It brought tears to my eyes. It’s an insult to the Tricolour. We can’t even hand them to the students, leave alone putting them atop the schools.”
Ganesh Bhagat, general secretary, Government Teachers’ Union, alleged, “We condemn this forcible move. All schools have been asked to buy and hoist the national flags. Hoisting torn and uneven flag is disrespect to the nation.”
Meanwhile, Gursharan Singh, DEO (Elementary), Jalandhar, said, “The flags are being issued by the administration (DC office). Schools have been asked
to return or exchange the flags with defects.”
