Given the high demand for the national tricolour ahead of Independence Day and rolling out of the "Har Ghar Tiranga" campaign, volunteers are appealing to Pune citizens not to buy China-made Indian flags but to choose those manufactured locally.
Volunteers of Bharat Flag Foundation are distributing pamphlets among people and shopkeepers asking them to celebrate Independence Day and the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign by buying only 'Made in India' flags which are made available in the market for Rs 30 apiece.
"With the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign to be held ahead of Independence Day, there will be a huge demand for the Indian tri-colour and there is the possibility that a huge number of China-made flags will be pushed in the market. If these flags are purchased, indirectly, we would be encouraging the Chinese economy," Rahul Bhalerao, Executive President, Bharat Flag Foundation, told PTI on Sunday.
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The "Har Ghar Tiranga" campaign, launched as part of the 75th-anniversary celebrations of the country's independence, seeks to encourage people to exhibit tricolour with almost no restrictions. This campaign aims to motivate citizens to hoist the tricolour in their homes for three days- from August 13 to August 15.
Bhalerao said the organisation is appealing to people to buy only those flags which are manufactured locally to encourage the Indian economy. "We are appealing to sellers and buyers to choose 'Made in India' flags and stay away from the flags made in China," he said.
Girish Murudkar, who runs Pune's famous Murudkar Zendewale, a large-scale establishment that sells Puneri phetas (headgear), flags, and badges, said the demand for the national flag has shot up by at least ten times due to the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign.
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"Usually, ahead of Independence Day and Republic Day, around 20,000 small, medium and big-size flags are being sold at our outlets. However, with this campaign announced by the Centre, the demand for the flag has increased. So far we have sold around 50,000 to 60,000 flags, and as Independence day nears, the demand for the flag will increase," said Murudkar, who heads Bharat Flag Foundation.
He added that they are making a cotton/polyester flag of 20 x 30 inches available at Rs 30 apiece. "Anticipating the rise in the demand for flags due to the campaign, the government has amended the Flag Code and allowed the machine-made polyester flags along with hand-spun (khadi) ones," he said.
The Ministry of Home Affairs recently amended the Flag Code of India and allowed polyester or machine-made Flags. As per the amendment, the National Flag of India shall be made of hand spun and hand woven or machine-made, cotton/polyester/wool/silk khadi bunting.
Murudkar said the demand for tricolour flags has increased by ten times. "Our thrust and aim are that people buy only locally made flags instead of opting for China-made flags. We are reaching out to people through our foundation," he said.
Earlier on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' is turning into a mass movement and urged people to put 'tiranga' as the profile picture of their social media accounts between August 2 and 15.
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(With PTI inputs)
