As Delhi geared up to celebrate the country’s 76th Republic Day this year, the tricolour was once again draped across the Capital, turning the city into a tapestry of saffron, white and green. From the grand parade at Kartavya Path to community celebrations, the hoisting and display of the national flag is prominent across Delhi. However, as the celebration concludes, the balance between patriotism and national responsibility in handling the tricolour flag becomes a critical point of discussion.
“After Republic day, I fold the flag and keep it safely in my home in order to maintain its dignity,” says 57-year-old Mohd Taijuddin, a resident of Old Delhi. “The Tiranga is an important part of our identity as Indians,” he adds, highlighting the flag’s importance in respect and care, even after the end of the celebration.
However, this sense of responsibility toward the flag is not common. Deepak Jain, a 53-year-old businessman, deliberately refrains from mass buying of the flags. Offering a simple yet profound reason, he says, “I avoid this in order to protect the integrity of the Tiranga as there are no proper disposal methods of the flag.” Jain hints at the environmental and symbolic implications of mass buying and the subsequent disposal of flags during Republic Day.
Adding another dimension to this issue is the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign. Initiated as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav– a celebration commemorating India’s 75 years of Independence, it was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2022. Boosting the production of flags, the campaign ensures their widespread use during Republic Day as well as Independence Day.
The Ministry of Culture stated that around 2.5 crore national flags were supplied to the post offices for selling and distribution under the 2023 campaign, according to a report published by The Economic Times in 2023. This number surpassed the 2022 figure of one crore according to the same report.
This mass production of the flags can be reflected in the bustling markets of Chandni Chowk, where shop owners have recently seen a surge in demand for the Tiranga. “We have noticed a massive demand for tricolour flags, especially after the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign,” says Sandeep Kumar, a shop owner in Dariba Kalan who has been selling tricolour merchandise for 28 years. Using a sustainable approach towards unsold flags, Kumar reuses them on national holidays rather than choosing to discard them.
Despite these individual efforts, the greater challenge of a lack of awareness about disposal practices remains. While the Flag Code 2002 issues proper guidelines for flag disposal that encompass burying or burning discarded flags, the awareness gap about the same persists. “You will hear the Har Ghar Tiranga advertisement before every phone call, but no such reminders are there for the proper disposal of flags”, says 21-year-old Anas Margub, who has a background in environmental activism.
Sanitary inspector Ravi Dutt said that he received only a few responses about damaged flags last year. “We don’t receive many complaints about discarded flags directly from the citizens, but
local inspectors still find some in damaged conditions while patrolling,” said Dutt, who supervises the sanitation circle number 4 under the New Delhi Municipal Corporation.
As Republic Day celebrations wind up in the Capital, how citizens handle the national flag reflects a deeper level of patriotism. The mass production of the Tiranga highlights the collective responsibility of the residents and the government authorities to preserve the national symbols in the days following 26th January.
