Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, Aug 12: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today called on citizens to uphold and respect the national flag beyond ceremonial events, stressing that even individuals acting alone can contribute to preserving its honour.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
Speaking at the Tiranga Yatra in Srinagar, which he joined alongside Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha, Omar urged the connection with the tricolour should not be limited to ceremonial functions.
Click here to watch video
“This flag is our identity. We should cherish it, remember the sacrifices of those who died protecting it, and follow in their footsteps. Even if we are alone, we have the power to maintain its glory and raise it higher,” he added.
Sinha and the CM led a massive rally around Dal lake as part of the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign, drawing hundreds of residents, public representatives, and officials. The walkathon, organised to celebrate Independence Day, began at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) and concluded at the Botanical Garden.
In his speech, Omar highlighted the importance of the national flag and the sacrifices of martyrs who died protecting it, urging people to honour the Tricolour not just on special occasions. “Those who sacrificed their lives for the Tricolour never thought about what they could do alone. They believed they were enough to protect it,” he said. He added that collective action is not always necessary to serve the nation or safeguard the dignity of its flag.
He noted that many people wonder, “I am alone; what can I do? What can a single person change?” but recalled a time when it was illegal for citizens to unfurl the national flag at their homes or offices. “The law permitted the Tricolour only at Government institutions and official residences, not in our own places,” he said.
He narrated the story of a man who, while studying in the United States, noticed his friends displaying their national flags in their rooms, but he could not do the same due to Indian law. Upon returning to India, the man pursued the matter in court and won a verdict that compelled the Government to amend the law, allowing every citizen to display the flag at home.
“That person’s inspiration came from that personal experience. It indicates that one determined individual can change the system,” Omar said.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
