Report of HJS’ Respect National Flag drive at various places in India

Mumbai : Complaints lodged by HJS with police for prevention of abuse of national flags!

T-shirts printed with pictures of national flags sold but no action from the Police!

The abuse of national flags is happening through T-shirts and masks with the picture of the national flag but the apathy shown by the State administration towards taking action to stop such abuse is quite shameful ! – Editor, Dainik Sanatan Prabhat

Mumbai – The Union Government has imposed a ban on the sale of plastic national flags for prevention of its abuse. Even then, police are exhibiting apathy by not taking any action against the sellers of either plastic national flags or sellers of T-shirts with the picture of the national flag printed on them. Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) lodged a complaint with Ghatkopar police station against those sellers but the police refused to take any action; while at Azad Maidan police station, they just called him to the police station and let him go after admonishing the seller.

HJS has sent a memorandum about the abuse of national flags to the State Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, State Home Minister Dilip Valse-Patil, Mumbai Mayor, Mrs Kishori Pedanekar, besides the District Collector and the Director General of Police.

It has been mentioned in the complaint lodged by HJS that the flag has to be taken down before 6 pm as per the Code of National Flag and it is considered an offence if it is not done. Then why is it not considered an offence if the same national flag is printed on T-shirt and why can’t any action be taken, is a question? Under clauses 2 and 5 of  ‘the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950’, clause 2 of ‘the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971’, insult of the national flag is a punishable offence. A memorandum in this context has also been forwarded to the State Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, State Home Minister Dilip Valse-Patil, Mumbai Mayor Mrs Kishori Pedanekar, besides the District Collector and the Director General of Police.

A seller admonished at Azad Maidan police station! 

T-shirts with the picture of the national flag were on sale in one of the shops in the subway of Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. Dr. Uday Dhuri, the Mumbai spokesperson of HJS lodged a complaint with Dy Police Inspector (PI) Shobha Bhandvalkar. Dr. Dhuri also told assistant PI Vijendra Dhurat about the seller who was selling T-shirts with the picture of the national flag. The seller was then called to the police station and admonished. It was also taken in writing from the seller that he would not sell such T-shirts again.

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Memorandum submitted to Police and local government administrations in west Maharashtra, Marathwada and Belgaum district!

Every year, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti undertakes a drive in the background of Independence Day for the prevention of abuse of the national flags by the citizens while celebrating this Day. Under this drive, memoranda have been submitted to the Police department, local government administrations, elected representatives, school management etc creating awareness in them for the prevention of abuse of the national flags. The demands made through the memorandum are taking action against vendors of plastic national flags and giving instructions to the concerned machinery for prevention of abuse of national flags since they are found lying everywhere on roads on 16th August. This drive has been undertaken by HJS for many years and is showing good results. In many places, it has been successful in preventing the abuse of national flags. Let us see a report on memoranda submitted in various districts.

Kolhapur

1.Ichalkaranji- The memorandum was handed over to Ms Shilpa Chikhalikar, a senior clerk at the additional Tehsil office by HJS activists Rajanikant Ranadive, Nandkumar Edake, Prakash Telave, Somesh Telave, Akash Ranadive and Nilesh Phadake.

2.Gadhinglaj – The memorandum was received by Naib Tehsildar Jeevan Kshirsagar at the zonal office and the office of dy. Police Superintendent. The group Education Officer N. B. Halbagol received the memorandum at Panchayat Samiti’s office from Mrs Sudha Bilawar, Mr Vasu Bilawar, Mr Dattaram Patil and Mr Siddharam Kabbure

3. Kagal – Tehsildar Shilpa Thokade was given the memorandum by Shiv Sena city-Chief Kiran Kukarni, Shambhuraje Kulkarni, devout Hindus viz. Dattatreya Inamdar and Rudrappa Patil, besides Santosh Sanagar of HJS

Belgaum

1. The memorandum was submitted at District Collector’s office and given to Education Officer by devout Hindus viz. Mrs Milan Pawar, Mr Sadanand Masekar and HJS activists Mrs Ujjwala Gawade and Mr Sudhir Herekar.

2. Tehsildar Mohan Bhanase was given the memorandum at Nipani (Dist Belgaum) Tehsildar’s office by devout Hindus Mr. Amol Chendake, Sriram Sena’s Taluka President Raju Koparde, Rajendra Gurav and Nigaunda Patil of HJS.

Sangli

1.Sangli- Dy. Commissioner Rahul Rokade and Dy Mayor Umesh Patil of Sangli, Miraj and Kupwada Municipal Corporation, Opposition leader Uttam Sakhalkar, Standing Committee’s Chairman Pandurang Kore, BJP municipal councilors advocate Swati Shinde and Sunanda Raut were given the memorandum.

The memorandum was also given at Navajeevan School and late Shrimantibai Satgonda Patil (Majalekar) Practising School, Sangli

On receiving the memorandum, Dy Commissioner Rahul Rokade immediately inspected areas such as Maruti Rasta and Harbhat Rasta and gave instructions to take action if anyone was seen with plastic flags.

Satara 

Vaduj – The memorandum was submitted to Thane Amaldar Deshmukh and Tehsildar Kiran Jamadade by BJP’s Amar Jadhav, HJS’ Ramesh Godase and Vinayak Thigale. HJS activists gave information to Tehasildar Kiran Jamadade about its various activities when he commended HJS.

Phaltan – Naib Tehasildar Ramesh Patil received the memorandum from HJS activists Uday Ogharde, Mangesh Khandare and other activists.

Memorandum submitted to various administrative offices, Police and Education Department at Solapur, Latur and Dharashiv !

Solapur – It has been observed that tri-colour masks are sold online and even in shops on the occasion of Independence Day. It is a punishable crime to make and use masks with tri-colour and Ashok-Chakra as per the Flag Code. National Flag is an identity of the country; therefore, necessary action should be taken to prevent abuse of the national flag on the occasion of Independence Day. The above demand has been made By Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) through a memorandum submitted to the Police and government administration.

Action will be taken against sellers of plastic national flags and even their manufacturers! – Gajanan Gurav, Dy. District Collector, Solapur  

Solapur – The memorandum was submitted to Dy District Collector Gajanan Gurav and Police Inspector Balasaheb Unhale on behalf of the Police Commissioner by patriotic citizens viz. Sandip Dhage, Ramesh Awar, Kiran Pawar, Balraj Dontul, Vijay Malge and Dhananjay Bokade. Dy District Collector said that it was a good drive undertaken by HJS and he would look into the matter and take action against sellers and manufacturers of plastic national flags.

Sangola (Dist. Solapur) – Naib Tehsildar (Revenue) Shubhangi Abhangrao accepted the memorandum on behalf of the Tehsildar and Bandu Nagane, a senior assistant accepted the memorandum on behalf of the group Education Officer. Santosh Patane of HJS and Shubhangi Patane of Sanatan Sanstha submitted the memorandum.

Piliv (Dist. Solapur) – The Headmaster Nagesh Kaldhone sir of ‘Zilha Parishad Primary Centre School’, Kendra-Chief Rajkumar Phase, school management committee President Prashant Mahamuni, vice President Smita Devkar, educationist Umesh Deshmukh, Mrs Sarika Jamadar, Grampanchayat member Dattatreya Bodare, its former member Avinash Jeurkar and other teachers and members were told about the importance of national flag while giving the memorandum. The Officer promised to forward the memorandum to Wadi and the other 14 schools from the Kendra. Patriotic citizens Vijay Devkar and Smita Devkar were present on the occasion.

Barshi (Dist Solapur) – Memorandum was submitted to Tehsildar Sunil Sherkhane and also to the local police station by HJS activists Tanaji Gore, Balaji Shinde, Anil Jadhav and Dheeraj Rode

Dharashiv – Dy District Collector Shivkumar Swami and Education Officer Gajanan Susar were given the memorandum by HJS activists viz. Santosh Pimple, Shubham Magar, Bhagavan Shriname, Samarth Pimple etc.

Tuljapur (Dharashiv) – Memorandum was submitted to the Naib Tehsildar Chandrakant Shinde and Police Inspector Ajinath Kashid by patriotic citizens viz. Vinayak Mali, Deepak Palange, Sandip Shirsat, Nitin Lokhande, Sachin Yadav, Umesh Kadam, Sagar Suravase, Suraj Suravase Vijay Bhosale and Pradip Jadhav.

Latur – Dhammapriya Gaikwad of Revenue Department in the District Collector’s office received the memorandum. A similar memorandum was submitted even to the Head Master, Chhatrapati Shivaji Primary School and Shivaji Shikshan Prasarak Mandal’s Director Suresh Lakhangave, besides Shivajinagar police station by HJS activists Ganesh Patil and Balaji Bansode.

Ambajogai (Dist Beed) – Senior clerk Suryakant Gaikwad from the sub-divisional Magistrate’s office accepted the memorandum while S. B. Rode from Education Officer’s office received the memorandum. HJS activists Mangesh Baraskar, Balaji Bharajkar and Akash Chaure etc were present on the occasion. The memorandum was signed by 12 members of various pro-Hindu organisations.

Beed – Memorandum was submitted at the District Collector’s Office by Shesherao Susakar, an activist of HJS.

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Plastic national flags openly sold in Goa at few places despite Union Government’s orders

Ponda : In the background of forthcoming Independence Day, the Union Government has issued instructions to all the States and Union territories that they should prevent the use of plastic national flags. Even then, in few cities of Goa, it has been observed that plastic national flags are being sold. Few children carry the small plastic flags in their pockets at Margao and take them out if somebody asks for the flags. Flags made from big terracotta cloth are being sold on the main road at Parvari.

In the letter issued, by the Union Home Ministry, it has been stated that disposal of products made from non-biodegradable material is a serious problem. National Flag represents the hopes and aspirations of the citizens of this country; therefore, it is important to maintain its honour. Everyone has respect for the national flag; but few citizens and government organisations, etc do not seem to have enough information on its use; therefore, plastic flags are used in national cultural programs and even in sports events.

On 7th August 2021, HJS had submitted a memorandum to the District Collector of North Goa in the background of Independence Day, demanding prevention of abuse of national flags