Why in the news?
Uttar Pradesh Police has booked a farmers mother and brother under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act 1971 because they draped the farmers body in the national flag.
What has happened?
The farmer who has died is named Balvinder Singh. He is 32 years of age and died in Ghazipur on January 24, 2021. His mother Jasveer Kaur and brother Gurvinder Singh are booked under Section 2 of the Act.
Act For Prevention of Insults to National Honour 1971:
- The law was enacted on December 23, 1971.
- It penalises the desecration of or any insult to the national symbols like National Flag, National Anthem, Indian Map as well as the contempt of the Constitution of India.
What is Section 2 of the Act?
The Act says " Whoever in any public place or in any other place within public view burns, mutilates, defaces, difiles, disfigures, destroys, tramples upon or 1[otherwise shows disrespect to or brings] into contempt (whether by words, either spoken or written, or by acts) the Indian National Flag or the Constitution of India or any part thereof, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both."
What is meant by Disrespect to the National Flag?
The disrespect to the Indian National Flag means and includes the following listed under:
- An indignity offered to the Indian National Flag
- Dipping the Indian National Flag in salute to any person or thing
- Waving the Indian National Flag at half-mast except on specific occasions in accordance with the instructions issued by the Government
- Using the Indian National Flag as a drapery in any form whatsoever except in State funerals or armed forces or other paramilitary forces funerals
- Putting any kind of inscription upon the Indian National Flag
- In case someone uses the Indian National Flag as a receptacle for receiving, delivering or carrying anything except flower petals before the Indian National Flag is unfurled as part of celebrations on special occasions including the Republic Day or the Independence day
- In case the Indian National Flag is used as covering for a statute or a monument or a speaker's desk or a speaker's platform
- Indian National Flag is allowed to touch the ground or the floor or trail in water intentionally
- Draping the Indian National Flag over the hood, top and sides or back or on a vehicle
- Covering a building with the flag
- Intentional display of Saffron colour of the Flag at the bottom.
- This also includes using the Indian National Flag,-
(i) As a portion of costume, uniform or accessory worn below the waist of any person
(ii) Embroidering or printing it on cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins or any dress material
The Act spreads across the country of India and not even a single territory inside the margins of the country are spared from this. The act also makes it clear enough that only those bodies whose funeral is declared as a state funeral would be draped in tri-colour else not.
What is the meaning of 24 spokes in the Ashoka Chakra in the National Flag?
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