New Delhi/Nagpur: It has been decided that flying the National flag will be mandatory in all Central Universities in the country after a meeting held recently between the Union Human Resources Development Minister Smriti Irani and Vice-Chancellors of 46 Central Universities.
The Narendra Modi government today made it mandatory for central universities across the country to fly the national flag. The decision is said to have been put forward by 46 central university vice-chancellors who met Union Human Resources Development Minister Smriti Irani.
The government has said the tricolour should be installed on a 207-foot mast and should weigh 135 kg. Under fire for its handling of the unrest in the Jawaharlal Nehru University, the decision came after nationwide protests by students for the release of JNU students union president Kanhaiya Kumar who was arrested on February 12 following an ABVP complaint that he had made statements that amounted to sedition.
The government said the decision on the tricolour was to evoke patriotism in people, something that is being considered to have been rocked by the protests over the last week which also saw targeted attacks by men in black suits on Kanhaiya Kumar, the media, JNU teachers and others at Patiala House Court.
And guess where the first such flag is to come up?
Yep, you got that right – Jawaharlal Nehru University. “The flag will symbolise the unity and integrity of the nation, under which higher education would flourish,” a source in the HRD Ministry said.
