Don't mistake me! I am not unpatriotic and I respect the Indian Flag as much as anyone else, if not more. As a youngster, in the pre-Jindal days when the National Flag could be hoisted only on August 15th and January 26th, I used to look forward to hoisting the flag in the house. These days used to the high points of my year. I would hoist it a minute after the National Flag was hoisted in Red Fort on Independence Day or in the Rajpath on the Republic Day. And father drilled in me to lower the flag before the sunset as the law of the land required. The young boy in me, then and now, filled with pride on seeing the tri colour flutter in the gentle breeze.
But I cannot but feel that the prestige of the Flag is lowered more than even this Republic Day. First, the RD Parade has long outlived its utility and is more of a case of a President hoisting the flag amidst invited/screened/secured guests and unprecedented security. The common man cannot even dream to be part of the parade other than watch it on TV. Any national day celebration that do not involve the common possess hardly any value. Second, the shameful happenings in Srinagar, where the BJP cadre was not allowed to hoist the Indian National Flag on Republic Day in Lal Chowk, which is very much an integral part of India and the local Government, ably assisted by the Centre, using security forces to PREVENT the Flag being hoisted. What has this country come to?
The Flag is flown half mast when someone dies, to allow the invisible black flag of death to fly over it.
I am depicting my national flag being flown at half mast this Republic Day to indicate the death of National Pride.
