MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Monday said children must be taught how to respect the national flag in their schools, while urging creating awareness rather than penal action against violators.
A bench of Justice Naresh Patil and Justice V L Achilya heard a PIL to enforce an August 2007 state circular banning the use, sale and purchase of plastic flags. The PIL said after Republic Day and Independence Day, flags are found on roads and in gutters. In December 2014, the Centre told HC process is on to bring a law to ban manufacture of plastic flags.
The bench welcomed a suggestionthat children should be taught in schools to respect the flag. “It will help inculcate pride and dignity for the flag from childhood, the learning age. When children grow up, don’t show them the penal law. They will say ‘you didn’t tell us when we were small (sic),” said Justice Patil.
The bench further said authorities must reach out to people and make them aware, adding it should be done at the ward level in cities and the ward officer be held responsible.
Additional solicitor general Anil Singh said people like to show their patriotism and it is children who tell their parents to buy flags. The bench said “children may not know and they need to be guided in schools”. The bench also said people with plastic flags should not be allowed to enter stadiums and organisers should be held responsible. The bench added that the government must formulate a comprehensive policy of spreading awareness on use of plastic flags, the procedure for destroying them in accordance with Flag Code of India and issue instructions to law-enforcing agencies for implementing the Prevention of Insult to National Honour Act.
TOI | Mar 31, 2015
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