Height of patriotism: Pak scores at Attari

It has been in the fashion of things that patriotism is displayed, especially in border areas, by various means. One is building monument; another is lining up seized military machines such as tanks. And yet another is erecting a flagpole as high as 360 feet. The effect can be brazenly telling. But what happens when the ‘enemy’ country does it with a higher flagstaff – right across the border?

The fact is the Indian Tricolour at Attari border is dwarfed by a 400-ft flag mast by Pakistan. While the Tricolor struggles to flutter because of the quality of the fabric, the one across the border sways majestically. 

About 18 km from the International Border, there is another prominent ‘patriotic’ landmark. It is a 45-meter high mild stainless steel sword raised on the central edifice of the Punjab State War Heroes’ Memorial and Museum. It also shelters an-MiG-23 fighter, a model of the decommissioned INS Vikrant aircraft carrier and three tanks — the war machines that figured during the Indo-Pak wars. The common factor among them is that they point towards Pakistan side. All these projects came up during the erstwhile SAD-BJP regime. All this while Amritsar city continued to lack basic facilities such as safe drinking water, efficient sewerage and hassle-free roads. 

‘Visible from Lahore’

A week ahead of the 2017 Punjab assembly election results, India’s tallest flagpole was installed at the Attari border with much fanfare on March 5. The idea was to let a Lahore citizen living 23 km away catch a glimpse of it. 

To counter it, Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa hoisted his country’s flag, 40 feet higher than the Indian one at the Wagah border at 12 midnight, kicking off Pakistan’s Independence Day celebrations on August 14. The 120 ft X80 ft flag has been fluttering ever since. Some say the flag cloth is made of parachute stuff, strong enough to bear the brunt of bad weather. 

On the Indian side, it’s a depressing story. The Tricolour has been replaced at least five times since the inauguration of Rs 3.5-crore project by then Punjab minister Anil Joshi. The Punjab home department continues to struggle for a cure for the repeated damage to the flag in gusty winds. The flag was visible on August 15 during the special Independence Day celebrations. But it was brought down the following day. 

Amritsar deputy commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangha has approached the state home department and the local bodies ministry several times, but no result. “We have asked the home ministry to guide us. On I-Day, I took the stand in my capacity as DC to avoid an awkward situation, as Pakistan was all set to hoist its tallest flag on August 14. But, two days later, our flag was brought down safely as winds could have torn it apart,” he said. 

Fault with the fabric

Superintending Engineer of Amritsar Improvement Trust, responsible for maintenance of the project, said talks were on with the Mumbai-based firm, The Flag Company, which provided the Tricolour, and the Flag Foundation of India, to find a way out. “The current flag has parachute material on its borderline, but it has not sustained the high-velocity wind. The flag size was reduced to 90X60 ft, but the The Flag Company could not guarantee its survivability at such a height. We have six sets of flags ready with us. Each costs around Rs 6 lakh,” he said.

The project was the ‘brain child’ of the then local bodies minister Anil Joshi. “It is a shame that we could not maintain the National Flag. I brought the holy city’s name on the global map by raising the nation’s tallest flag. But the ruling Congress government’s ill-conceived policies spoiled it all. The size of the flag could be reduced and necessary amendments introduced but where’s the will? The flag was hoisted on August 15, when I conveyed a message to the DC to do it,” he said. 

“The problem is the flag fabric has to be pure khaddar. This fabric cannot bear the high velocity winds at that height. I have directed the Amritsar Improvement Trust to have sufficient number of flags ready so that we should not miss special occasions,” says Local Bodies and Tourism minister Navjot Singh Sidhu.