Former Haryana DGP urges PM Modi to declare July 22 as National Flag Day

New Delhi, June 22

Former Haryana Police chief Sheel Madhur has taken it upon himself to spread awareness on the importance of national flag, the ‘Tiranga’, with a missionary zeal. He appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday to declare July 22 as National Flag Day.

Seeking to give it a canonical status, he said it encapsulated the suffering and sacrifices of millions of Indians for Independence. Addressing a press conference here, Madhur emphasised that there is an urgent need to have the provision a National Flag Day as it will prove to be the greatest saviour of the unity, integrity and strength of the country.

“On July 22, 1947, our national flag, popularly known as 'Tiranga', came into existence in its present format and specification as it was accepted and adopted as the national flag of independent India by the Constituent Assembly.... Thus, this will be the most appropriate if 22nd July is declared as National Flag Day or Tiranga Diwas,” he said.

“National Flag Day will bring people together on one platform despite ever increasing dissipative tendencies, immense diversities of caste, creed, class, region, religion, etc.,” he said.

Madhur said that countries all over the world, especially the developed and powerful ones, have dedicated a day as their National Flag Day on which occasion they pay respect to their flag and celebrate the day with full fanfare.

He lamented that even though the country is celebrating 75th anniversary of Independence as Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, the flag, the “torch-bearer”  struggle, could not be assigned a special day.

“Tiranga is the symbol of freedom movement of our country...which inspires the people of the country to work for the goal of all-round development, peace, righteousness, prosperity and unity and integrity of the country,” the former director general of police (DGP) said.  

“Tiranga is the most pious symbol of the Nation, its Independence and also of feeling of patriotism and aspiration of countrymen,” Madhur added.

The inspiration to make people aware of the sanctity of the Tiranga struck him when protesters defiled it at Red Fort on January 26 last year. He has already launched ‘Har Har Tiranga, Ghar Ghar Tiranga’. He also launched “Tiranga Sena”-an organisation to spearhead the campaign across the country to spread awareness about the tricolour.

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