National Flag in Tatters Sparks Outrage in Delhi
National Flag in Shreds Prompts Calls for Urgent Action
At 10 a.m. on Monday, June 16, 2025, a photograph captured a distressing sight opposite Ansal Plaza in New Delhi: the Indian national flag, the Tiranga, hanging in complete tatters from a flagpole. The once-vibrant saffron, white, and green stripes were frayed and torn, fluttering mournfully in the morning breeze in the heart of the capital. Onlookers, from daily commuters to local shopkeepers, expressed shock and dismay at the sight of the national symbol in such disrepair.
“In the heart of Delhi, right opposite Ansal Plaza, it is disheartening to see our national flag which is our pride in such a shattered condition. It’s a wake up call for the authorities. It’s very unfortunate that we are seeing this,” said Santhosh Nair, a Delhi resident and a concerned citizen.
This sight of the national flag in tatters contravenes the strict guidelines that governs its display, as outlined in the Flag Code of India, 2002, which mandates that the Tricolour must always be maintained in a state of dignity and respect. The Code explicitly states that a damaged or disheveled flag shall not be displayed, as it symbolises the nation’s unity and pride, a principle reinforced by the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, which penalises any disrespect to the flag. Allowing the flag to remain torn is seen as a lapse in this duty.
The tattered state of the national flag has sparked calls for swift government action, with many pointing to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which governs both the central government and Delhi’s administration, to take responsibility for restoring the Tricolor’s dignity.
“The BJP government speaks so much of national pride. Our tiranga is our national pride. Now in Delhi also we have a BJP government. So, it is the government’s responsibility to make sure that this is corrected and accountability is fixed on whoever is responsible for disrespecting our national flag like this,” stated Gautam Lahiri, veteran journalist and the President of the Press Club of India.
As The Probe spoke to more residents and shopkeepers near Ansal Plaza, our team was told that the national flag had been in such a deplorable condition for several days, with no apparent action from authorities to address the oversight. “It’s utterly disgraceful that our nation must witness such neglect. The national flag is a sacred symbol that must never be disrespected. Authorities must promptly remove this damaged flag, hoist a new one to restore its dignity, and act without needing media prodding. This is every citizen’s flag, belonging to us all, and its honour is our collective responsibility,” asserted Sanjay Kapoor, senior journalist and editor of Hard News Magazine.
The torn national flag has drawn sharp criticism from civic activists, who see it as a reflection of broader neglect in upholding the Flag Code of India, 2002, and civic responsibility. Venkatesh Nayak, an RTI activist and Director of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), voiced deep concerns over the incident, linking it to insufficient awareness and accountability. “It is very distressing to see a torn flag being displayed publicly in this manner. The Flag Code of India published by the Union Home Ministry clearly prohibits the display of the national flag, if it is ‘damaged or dishevelled.’ While all citizens got the right to display our tricolour on all days and occasions ceremonial or otherwise, thanks to a 2004 Supreme Court judgement in a PIL filed by well known industrialist and sitting MP, Naveen Jindal, enough has not been done to spread awareness about the Flag Code. Nor have most citizens, especially those running commercial establishments put in the necessary effort to adhere to the code after the initial rush of patriotic fervour to hoist the flag.”
Nayak added, “This is also symptomatic of the casual manner in which we take most matters of civic importance. For example, we want good roads but will not take the responsibility of keeping them clean by not littering or spitting on them. So also with the national flag - many want to make a public display of their patriotic fervour given the current political environment but will not shoulder the responsibility of safeguarding the dignity of the very flag they have hoisted, round the clock. The Flag hoisting fervour can be linked to the Amrit Kaal celebrations in Delhi marking the 75th anniversary of our independence. The Delhi Government under AAP encouraged such public displays to label Delhi as the City of Tricolours. Now that the BJP is in power they have a duty to ensure strict adherence to the flag code when citizens fail in this regard”.
The distressing sight of the tattered national flag brings renewed focus to the efforts of Naveen Jindal, now a BJP MP, who fought to make the Tricolor a symbol accessible to all citizens. In 1994, Jindal, challenged the restrictive Flag Code of India after authorities in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, objected to him flying the flag at his factory. His public interest litigation led to a historic 2004 Supreme Court ruling which established that every citizen has the fundamental right to display the national flag on all days, provided it is done with dignity as per the Flag Code of India, 2002. This victory inspired Jindal to found the Flag Foundation of India to promote awareness and respect for the Tricolour. When The Probe reached out to Jindal, he emphasised that the national flag belongs to the people of the country and must always be displayed with dignity and respect, urging whoever erected the flag to take immediate corrective measures.
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